What almost none of the town’s residents knew was that the man who’d tried to murder Reverend Midnight back in 1979 was buried in their graveyard. He’d failed at completely killing the Voodoo King, but Jerry had cursed the priest’s soul to be stuck halfway in time for all eternity. Now, the Reverend Midnight could neither be of this earth or move on to the next. He was trapped with one foot in the grave forever.
Well, on this day, the King intended to have his revenge. He couldn’t reach Jerry on the other side, but he could retaliate against his bloodline. At the time that Jerry had tried to kill Reverend Midnight, he had a young wife and newborn son back home.
That son was now a man and none other than Winterfield’s only mechanic, Joe Rice. Reverend Midnight stood over Jerry Rice’s grave and looked around. He could sense that Ben was watching him, but that didn’t stop him from walking back to his car to get the shovel from the trunk. He knew a spell that could set him free, but he had to dig.
Benjamin saw him pull the tool out of the car and figured that it was about time to put a stop to whatever the stranger was doing. He tried to take a step forward, but his feet were rooted in place.
Ben tried to bend down, but it felt like his wrists were shackled. He could feel the metal restraints around his wrists cold and biting, but he couldn’t see anything. His eyes focused on the man in the cemetery, but all he could do was watch.
Reverend Midnight walked over to a grave in the center of the cemetery and started to dig. Ben did his best to stay calm. He took deep, slow breaths while he considered his options.
His only two choices were to wish his way free and to wait. The repercussions of his wish were something he couldn’t predict. It might do more harm than good to use his powers.
The stranger kept digging until he reached the coffin deep inside the black dirt. The hole must have been wider than the casket because the traveler jumped down into it, and Ben heard the sound of his feet hitting earth instead of the wooden box.
What happened next was as shocking as it was frightening. Reverend Midnight lifted up the coffin and tossed it out of the grave as if it weighed nothing. The big box made a thud when it landed on the brown grass next to the hole. Fortunately, the lid was still locked, and the casket didn’t open.
Reverend Midnight jumped out of the grave like a big cat and landed upright and unshaken as if the distance out of the hole was mere inches instead of at least six feet. He leaned over and flicked the casket’s locks open with his index finger and lifted the lid.
Midnight began to sing and clap his hands as he danced around the coffin and the grave. Ben wasn’t sure exactly what he sang, but it sounded like church music with darker words.
He pulled a leather pouch out of his pant pocket and sprinkled herbs onto the body. Reverend Midnight raised his hands high in the air and started to shake, and to Ben, it felt as though the ground underneath him shook as well.
An emergency call came in over Ben’s radio. Although the door to his car was closed, he could just make out that there was a robbery in progress at Joe Rice’s Auto Shop. The sound of the radio static released his feet and arms from the invisible chains, and it was almost as if he was only held by his mind. He believed he couldn’t move, so he couldn’t. Once the emergency call came through, it broke the spell.
Ben was torn because he knew that he needed to do something about the stranger disturbing graves, but he also needed to get to Joe’s garage. If Joe was in danger, that was far more important. He’d have to deal with the grave disruption later.
Ben was sure the man wasn’t going to be too far away anyway because it felt like this entire incident was a show. The man wanted Bent to see it, and he wanted him to know exactly who’d done it.
“I’m coming back for you. I’ll find you.” Ben called out to the man as he got into his car.
Reverend Midnight only nodded his head yes and waved.
Once Ben got to Joe’s shop, he realized the call to dispatch had been a prank. Joe looked completely shocked to see Ben, but he also looked a little green around the edges.
“Sorry, you had to come all the way over here,” Joe said but then dry heaved. “It’s just me, and I’m thinking about kicking off for the day. I think I’ve caught a stomach bug.”
Ben wanted to stay and talk with him. Someone needed to make sure Joe got home okay, but Ben needed to get back to the cemetery.
“Why don’t you stay here for a few minutes, and I’ll have Lucy come take you home.” Ben offered. “I’ve got to get back out there.”
Joe resisted at first, but when he started to feel dizzy, he accepted Ben’s offer. Lucy agreed to head right over, so Ben left her milkshake there with Joe. He had Joe sit down with his feet up, and went back to the graveyard.
When Ben got back to where he’d left the stranger, the man was gone. The grave was back in place, and it was as if none of it had happened. Ben blinked his eyes and rubbed them with the backs of his hands. He shook his head as if trying to clear out his disbelief.
The only thing that kept him from believing that he was completely insane was the car. The Eldorado was still parked where the man left it. Ben got out and walked over to the Cadillac. The driver’s side door was unlocked, and the keys were laying on the seat.
Ben leaned over and picked them up. He turned the keys over in his hand and examined the single key chain attached to the set. It was a skull wearing a black top hat. He turned around and scanned the cemetery again.
“Hello?” Ben called out to no one. “Where did you go?”
When Ben got back to the police precinct, he found out that Joe was in the hospital. Lucy had to rush him to New Salem when he started having chest pains.
“It’s a good thing you called me.” She muttered. “If you’d just let him drive home, he probably would have died.”
Ben turned on his computer and ran the plate from the Cadillac. He was going to go back to the cemetery after work and see if the car was still there. If it was, he’d bring it back to the police station and store it in the garage.
The search returned an error message, so Ben tried to call the Department of Motor Vehicles. He’d taken a picture of the license plate, and there had been a current registration sticker affixed to the appropriate area.
When he finally got through to someone at the DMV, Ben was underwhelmed by her complete lack of helpfulness. She did tell him that the license plate must be a fake as it was not registered in Louisiana. Thelma offered to run the car for Ben.
“That would be great.” He responded.
“Hmmm. It looks like there are a few of those. Would you like for me to fax you the list?” She asked in a thick southern drawl.
“I would, Ma’am. Thank you.” Ben said as sweetly as possible because he knew he’d have to turn on the charm for his next request. “Oh, and could you possibly do me one more big favor. I know it’s a lot to ask, but I need the information.”
“You can always ask, Sugar.”
“Can you send me a list of everyone who has had that particular make, model and color of car registered to them since 1978 when it debuted.”
He could hear her sigh loudly into the receiver.
“Please, Ma’am. You’d really be saving my life.” He pleaded.
She huffed again loudly and then agreed. Ben waited for the fax to come through, but he was pleased when the information came to his email instead. He spent the rest of the afternoon going through the records, and it was only when his stomach rumbled again that he realized he still hadn’t eaten.
Ben thought about going to the station’s refrigerator and getting the lunch he hadn’t eaten but then decided to go have dinner with Belladonna instead.
He was just about to get up when he noticed there were only two more records for him to sift through. The very last record was the one he’d been looking for. There was a picture of the man he’d seen in the cemetery with the record.
It was a moment later when he realized the man in the picture and
the one he’d seen earlier that day appeared to be the same age. But, the photo in front of him was from 1978.
Four
Belladonna was making dinner when Ben arrived. She was making one of his favorite meals. The scent of homemade chili and fresh baked cornbread hit him as soon as walked through the door.
He could hear Belladonna singing to herself, or to Sterling and Olwen, and it made him smile. One day soon, this was going to be his home too, and he’d officially get to come back to his love every day for the rest of his life. She’d be his wife, and he’d do his best to make her happy.
That meant getting off early sometimes so he could make dinner. Ben hurried to the kitchen to see if he could help. Bella had been on her feet all day, and he wasn’t sure if it was fair that she was making dinner for both of them after working.
“What can I do?” He asked as he walked into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.
She was at the counter chopping butter lettuce for a salad. “I hope you don’t mind. I figured we could do with a few vegetables.”
“Anything you make is my favorite food.” He said and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.
“That’ll be enough of that gooey love stuff.” She teased. “How about instead of honeyed words, you set the table and get us drinks.”
Ben set the table, put out the butter, poured two glasses of tea, and then fed Sterling and Olwen while Belladonna finished up. The house was silent, and Ben realized he missed Granny Pepper and Aunt Sumac. Not only would they have to fill this home with the sound of children, but he and Belladonna would have to have frequent family dinners. For the first time since Amy passed, Ben believed all the way down to his core that he could have a life full of love again.
When dinner was almost over, Belladonna looked up at Ben with a strange expression on her face. She almost looked angry, but Ben wasn’t sure because she’d only ever been mad at him once.
“You’re thinking about her again. I can feel it.” Belladonna practically hissed. “I can’t take you sitting here with me thinking about her.”
Ben was confused. Was she talking about Amy? He had been thinking about her earlier, but only for a moment. Ben had no idea that his former wife bothered Belladonna. She’d never said anything negative about it before.
“Sweetie, what are you talking about?”
“Don’t sweetie me. You sit at my table eating the meal I prepared for you after working all day, and you have the nerve to be thinking about your ex-wife.” Bella was practically growling, and there was a feral look in her eyes.
“Bella, what is going on? Why are you mad? I did think about Amy earlier, but it was because I know I’ve moved on. She isn’t my ex-wife either, so please be fair. I did love her, but she’s gone now. My life is about you. Everything is about you.” Ben said and tried to take her hand.
She drew back as if she’d been bitten. “Well, I’m sorry you don’t have anything better, and I have to be your entire life.”
Something came over Ben just then. His shock and confusion were replaced with bitterness and anger. Belladonna had no right to talk to him this way. Especially not after everything he’d done for her, and not after he’d spent all of that money on the massive ring she’d picked out.
“What about you, huh? You had to pick the most expensive ring in the jewelry store just to make me prove I love you. Why wasn’t I enough?” Ben stood up from the table.
Belladonna stood too. “You’re being completely unfair. I wasn’t after an expensive ring. I was worried about rushing into things. I was afraid of giving up my freedom to a man. I guess I was right.”
“I suppose you were,” Ben said and left without another word.
Sterling meowed loudly when the front door slammed.
“Oh, hush. I don’t need grief from you too.” Belladonna said to Sterling.
Belladonna unconsciously spun the ring around her finger with her thumb. It made her groan when she realized it was already a nervous habit. Ben was already engrained in her life. It made her skin crawl to think she’d let a man get this far.
She took the ring off and stuck it in one of the drawers on the dining room buffet. Olwen barked, and it startled her.
“Oh, and he left you behind too. Good. You’re better off with me anyway.”
Belladonna needed some air. She could feel nervous energy rocketing through her body, and it felt like she was on the verge of a panic attack. Instead of pacing around the house, she grabbed Olwen’s leash and took her for a walk.
She kept her head down and let the dog lead. Belladonna kept mumbling to herself as they shuffled along. Anyone looking out of their windows probably would have thought she was nuts.
By the time she looked up, Olwen had led them to Ben’s house. She started to bark, and Belladonna couldn’t get her to stop. The light went on in Ben’s living room, and he came out the front door.
Ben took the steps down the front porch two at a time. He grabbed Belladonna and pulled her into a tight embrace. She resisted a little at first but then melted against him with a deep sigh.
“I’m so sorry, Darling.” He whispered into her hair. “I know this is all overwhelming. I’m sorry I wasn’t more understanding.”
“Oh, no. It’s my fault. I lost my head. I’ve never been jealous before. I don’t know what came over me.” She was almost in tears.
“Let’s never do this again.” He smiled and kissed her head. “It’s so silly to fight.”
“What did you just say?” Belladonna pulled back and yanked herself out of Ben’s arms. “Are you saying my feelings are silly?”
And with that, the fight started all over again. What Ben and Belladonna couldn’t see was the woman standing down the street from them. She was petite, but there was an aura of authority and regalness that emanated from her being.
Her dress was long and white with a deep purple sash tied around her waist that cinched the billowing fabric to her slender body. There was another sash, this one was a softer lilac, tied around her hair. The pale color of her dress and headscarf contrasted with her dark skin. She had charcoal rings drawn around her eyes, and it almost resembled something the Ancient Egyptian Queens would have worn thousands of years in the past.
Sister Oshun watched the lovers quarrel with intensity. In her hand was another doll just like the one Belladonna had found in her apron. It had been a gift from her husband Reverend Midnight. The stranger that Belladonna, Ben, and the whole town of Winterfield were about to find out was missing.
She turned the doll over in her hand and whispered a hex on it. Lexi had tried to drive Ben and Belladonna apart before, but she wasn’t even close to being as strong as Sister Oshun. The Voodoo Queen was prepared to rip the town apart until she got her husband back.
Sister Oshun watched with a satisfied smile as Belladonna stomped away from her fiancé. She followed the witch home and waited outside for her to fall asleep. It didn’t take long as she cast a spell over the entire house that made them fall into a deep, torpor-like slumber.
If the Queen was going to put a spell on the whole town, as her ancestor had done in New Orleans so long ago, she was going to need more supplies than she’d brought with her from her home in the bayou.
She moved silently through Belladonna’s house. Although no amount of noise could wake the living, Sister Oshun knew she hadn’t asked the dead for permission to enter. She had to keep Pepper out of Belladonna’s house and out of Winterfield until the ritual was complete.
Sister Oshun figured she would make amends with the dead once she had her husband back. She would make them an offering, but for now, she was going to silently steal what she needed.
Once she’d taken everything she needed, Sister Oshun crept out of Belladonna’s house. She left the spell in place. It was better not to have to go toe to toe with one of the most powerful witches she’d ever encountered. Especially when her strength was drained already.
Because of the power of Belladonna�
��s magic, this was going to be harder than the Voodoo Queen expected. It didn’t matter, though, she’d do anything for her husband. When she’d felt the spiritual string between them snap, Oshun had used all of her might to get to Winterfield as fast as possible.
Now that she was here and had neutralized Winterfield’s greatest protection, it was time to snare the entire town. She’d hold them until they returned Midnight to her.
She could sense that the Reverend had been in the cemetery, but in the moonlight, the place was crawling with spirits. Some of them looked as though they would not let her in without a fight, so Sister Oshun moved on to find another location.
The priestess found herself on the hill where the Tory mansion once stood. Elsbeth appeared immediately, but she couldn’t speak. Her spirit flickered in and out of sight, and Oshun laughed.
“Oh, spirit. You are trying so hard, but you are too new to stand up to me. Better to let me do my business and I’ll repay you soon.” Sister Oshun said and waved Elsbeth’s wavering specter away.
Oshun had to hurry. Elsbeth was a new spirit, but she was a powerful witch. This site was perfect for the ritual, but she knew she’d angered the dead witch. There would be a price to pay, but the priestess wanted to pay it after her work was done.
Five
Elspeth couldn’t stop the voodoo priestess from performing her magic, but she could still do something. She was pleased to find that the spell around Belladonna’s house couldn’t keep her out.
She was able to wake Sterling first as her connection to the cat was deeper than to Bella. Sterling stretched and purred. She was happy to see her former mistress until she read the look of dismay on her face.
Belladonna’s familiar quickly snapped to attention when she registered the danger they were all facing. Sterling darted up the stairs, and Elsbeth followed. Bella was so deeply asleep that she might as well have been in a coma. The room was as silent as the grave. Even Olwen’s loud, rumbly dog snore has gone quiet.
Love Hexed Page 2