by N. R. Larry
And anyone that messed with Abel’s kids got their ass put on the ground. I breathed some of that spirit into my lungs and lifted a few inches off the ground. Sliding forward, I smacked her in the back of the head.
“Ow!” she complained. The lights flashed back on and her eyes returned to their natural green. “What the heck?” She rubbed the back of her head.
I pointed at her. “I have had just about enough!” Grabbing her arms as gently as I could, I added, “I don’t know what’s going on with Bao, and now you just magicked everyone up in this school! How am I supposed to explain that?” My jaw clenched. “I will not worry about both of you. Now put those damn wings away and act like you have some damn sense!”
Fiona blinked at me. Her bottom lip quivered, her wings folded along her back, and she nodded. I sighed and rubbed my eyelids.
“Mal?” she said in a low voice.
I opened my eyes and stared at her.
“I should probably get out there and undo that magic.” Her thin shoulders slumped. “Or all the people in the building will have nightmares for weeks.”
I sighed.
“I know, I’m sorry.”
“I can’t give you permission to—” My eyes widened as a bad idea rushed through my thoughts. A very bad idea.
“What?” she asked. She knew me well enough to know when I had a thought that started out loud and finished inside my head.
I patted the side of my leg. “No, I can’t ask you to do that.”
She frowned. “Will it help Bao?”
I wrinkled my nose. Just thinking about putting that kind of responsibility on her made me nauseous.
“Mal, I know you don’t like us to use our abilities on people. And that’s great, you want to set an example... But Bao won’t make it in a place like Carson Hall, and this isn’t going to go away.”
Slumping against one of the sinks, I said, “You guys start taking the easy way out now, you’ll be doing it all your lives.”
She laughed. “Nothing about our lives will ever be easy.” Shaking her head, she added, “No disrespect, Ms. Hex.”
I pursed my lips and considered. The screaming from outside the door made the decision for me. Either way I looked at it, Fiona was going to have to do some fairy magic. And I needed to protect my kids at all costs.
I fixed her with the sternest expression in my “mom” arsenal. “This is not an invitation to start running around, popping off magic to fix every situation, you got me?”
She nodded her head a little too fast, which made me think she was a little too eager. I pointed at her. “I’m serious Fiona Kelly. You fix what you’ve done, and then you...” I closed my eyes and then opened them again. “And then you make them forget about what Bao did. After that, no magic for a week.”
She nodded again and then offered me her hand. “I promise. You know you can trust me.”
I shook her hand and sighed. “I’m really sorry that I’m asking you to do this.”
She shook out her arms and smiled. “I want to do this. We’re family. We have to have each other’s backs.”
I grinned and then gestured toward the locked door. “Okay, do your thing. And enjoy it, because this won’t be happening again.”
She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Seconds later, they popped open, shining like emerald mountains that were lit up from within. I found it hard to breathe. Her wings popped out again, and this time they danced with green and brown light. Her skin darkened and pulsed with magic. Fiona was the world in the most literal way. She was all different kinds of magic. She was all races, and when she was older, she would be able to shift sexes. It was the royal in her blood. It made her the most dangerous of her kind. To me, it made her my little miracle.
Nodding toward me, Fiona squared her shoulders and then marched out the door. I couldn’t help but smile as I followed. In the hallway, the screaming pierced my ears. Everyone was slumped onto the floor or against walls, scratching at their skin or running around and smashing into others. Overgrown chickens afraid for their lives.
I gulped. “Jesus on the crapper.”
Fiona darted her brilliant gaze toward me, and her bottom lip shook. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
I shook my head and placed an arm around her. As soon as I did, the magic shot into me and I felt euphoric—like an actress running through a field of flowers at the end of an anti-depressant commercial. “Don’t beat yourself up, Fi. You got this.”
She nodded and then raised her hands in the air. Ancient Fae words fell off her tongue with an ease that left me in awe. I didn’t know what the hell she was saying, but I wanted to wrap myself up in the words anyway. The light part of her magic was almost overpowering. Tears burned my eyes. Everyone in the hall stopped and gazed at her like she was a storm of shooting stars.
Their screams dissolved into a comfortable silence and their eyes filled with the kind of tears that only fell out of joy. I was reminded of all the revivals my Abel used to force me to go to as a kid. Movement caught my eye. The principal was heading toward Fiona with a look of determination on his face.
Without thinking, I stepped in front of her.
Mr. Gary smiled. “Please, may I speak to her?”
I lifted an eyebrow. “Why?”
“It’s okay, Mal,” Fiona said in a sing song voice.
I turned around, nodded, and then stepped aside. Mr. Gary inched forward and took her hands into his. “You’re a very special young lady, Miss Nancy.”
She smiled. I don’t know if it was the calm coursing through me, but I let her funnel more magic into him. He closed his eyes and sighed. Then, without another word, turned and walked away. And it wasn’t only him. One by one, they all stared at Fiona, and then turned on their heels and started exiting the school. After about ten minutes, we stood in the hall alone. Slowly, the serene feeling left me, and I turned to her.
She shrugged. “I figured since I can’t use magic for a whole week, I might as well take advantage and make this a half day.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Fiona—” The lecture fell out of my skull and I waved her off. “Fine, get the kids and head home. I need you to all keep Bao safe. Tell Felicia she can go home.”
Her ruby tinted eyebrows lifted. “You left Bao with Felicia?”
“I’m having a day, okay?” I pulled her close and squeezed her tight. “Are you sure they won’t remember anything?”
When I pulled away, she shook her head. “Nothing.” She frowned. “What are you going to do about Bao? If what I heard is true—”
“Don’t worry about that, I have a plan. Get your stuff and head straight home.” I pointed at her. “I’m serious. Make sure everyone does their homework.”
She nodded. “Yeah, yeah.” With a pout, she added, “No magic means I can’t fly home?”
I grinned. “I think today, just to be safe, you should walk.”
OKAY, SO I WASN’T PROUD of myself, but the day had me fucked up. If one more thing went wrong, I was going to jump off a building, and you know, not die. I took in a deep breath as I packed my bowl full of the green, good stuff and glanced around was used to be a public library. I was in what remained of downtown Atlanta, sitting in a rickety old chair. Every woman needed a hideout—this was mine.
Sliding back from the old, wooden desk I’d found in the building when it had been abandoned, I pulled a lighter out of the top drawer, and lit up, breathing in the scent of herbs and old, ancient text.
The library had shut down two years ago, and Ryland knew a guy and managed to keep any potential buyers away until I’d saved up enough money to buy it. Part of me knew I should sell and let it reopen, but the other, more selfish part wanted to keep it all to myself.
I had so many books that the arrangement was perfect. Every shelf was full of books on supernatural lore. Most of them came from a place I couldn’t remember and were written in languages I knew I spoke at some point, but had since forgotten. The symbols etched along their spin
es matched the ones tattooed along my own. Sometimes I would black out, only to wake up with memories teasing the edges of my brain. I always felt like I was just about to remember, only to have my real family and my real name flutter away. This place made me feel safe despite all of that. I came here when the kids were getting too rowdy, or on messed up days like today.
My head began to fill with the fog of I-don’t-give-a fuck-, so I closed my eyes and leaned back in the chair. “Mm,” I muttered, “that’s better. This time, when the events of the day flittered through my head, my muscles didn’t go rigid with tension. Sometimes, you just had to get that don’t-give-a-fuck into your system.
With a huge grin, I pulled out my cellphone and dialed the number Ryland had given me earlier. After the third ring, there was a loud sniffle in my ear, and then a phlegmy cough.
“What the hell you want?” a deep voice demanded of me.
I swallowed a giggle. “Um, this is Malcolm Hex. Ryland Tate gave me your number.” Nothing greeted my introduction but silence, so I went on. “Um, I’m having a little problem that he said you might be able to help me out with?”
There was another sniffle, and then a loud honk like she was blowing her nose at the other end. “You a white girl?” she asked.
I blinked. “Um, no ma’am.”
“No ma’am,” she mocked, and then snorted. “You sound like a white girl.”
I laughed because Abel used to say the same thing. Whenever I got on the phone I turned the manners to a ten, and as a result, I suppose I sounded “white,” as if white folk had the market cornered on manners and intelligence. I had to hold in a smart-assed response.
“I was hoping I could come by today to get your advice,” I went on, deciding to ignore the white girl comment.
There was another beat of silence. “Malcolm Hex, did you say?”
I nodded, and then realized she couldn’t see me. “Yes, ma’am.”
“You can cut the ‘yes ma’am’ shit out, okay? You’re Hex, Ryland’s mentioned you. You have access to things? Bring some fairy dust and I’ll help you.”
“Fairy dust?” I asked, blinking dumbly and wondering what exactly Ryland had been saying about me.
She hacked into my ear. With a wince, I pulled the phone away and placed her on speaker.
“Yes, girl! Fairy dust! I like to bathe in it. Works better than them damn salts.” She coughed again. “Lawd, don’t tell me you one of them slow girls.”
This time, I did laugh. Shaking my head, I said, “No ma—No, I’m not slow. When can I come by?”
“I’ll be here all day. Don’t forget that dust.”
Before I could say anything else, she hung up. I stared at my blank screen and then tossed my head back and laughed. Only in The Heights would someone request payment in fairy dust. Good thing I knew a fairy.
WHEN I GOT HOME, THE high was still flying me just above all the stress around me, which was good because when I walked into the kitchen, Bao was crouched on top of the table, about to launch at Fiona, who was fluttering in the corner. To top off the scene, Darnell was holding Bao back with a rope around the neck.
After glancing between the three of them, I demanded, “Where the hell is Felica?”
Darnell glared at me. Bao growled, and then pawed at the table like an animal.
“Who cares about Felica?” Darnell shouted, tightening his reign around Bao. “This bitch is trippin’! I guess she didn’t make the cheerleading squad.” He laughed at his own joke.
Forcing a stern look onto my face, I said, “If I have to warn you about that language one more time, it’s your ass.”
He frowned at me and the hair on top of his head thickened a little bit. I went to the pantry, grabbed one of the empty mason jars on the top shelf, and then tossed it to Fiona. “I need that full of fairy dust.” I pointed at her. “Light fairy dust.”
She floated to the ground and her brows furrowed. “You said no magic for a week.”
I waved her off. “Just do what I said.” I shook my head. “Ya’ll kids don’t listen for shit.”
She stomped a foot and then pointed at Bao. “I was just trying to get away from vampzilla over there.”
“For real, Ma,” Darnell agreed. “She trippin’.”
With a sigh, I slid over to Bao and then flickered her in the center of her forehead. She slumped over, and Darnell laughed before removing the rope from around her neck. “I’m taking care of Bao.” I pointed at Fiona. “Fairy dust, now please.”
She gave me a pointed look and then slipped out of the kitchen.
Darnell waved a hand in front Bao’s face. “Dang, Mal. You knocked her the f—” He turned to me with wide eyes, and his mouth gaped open. “I mean, you knocked her out.”
Something in my chest warmed at how adorable he was, and I laughed. “Boy, go upstairs and do your homework.”
He frowned. “But, I’m hungry!”
“Then get something to eat,” I said, ignoring the growl from my own stomach. I could probably eat everything in the house.
“I don’t want nothing here! Can we order pizza?”
Just then, Fiona came stomping back into the room. She handed me back the jar with little specks of brown dust floating around inside. “Thanks kid.” I kissed her on the cheek and then turned to stare Darnell down. “Do you have pizza money?”
He snorted. “Why do you always ask that?”
I pointed at the refrigerator. “Eat what’s here, or go hungry.”
His lips tightened and he stomped his foot. I shrugged, scooped Bao up, and flung her over my shoulder. “Listen, Ryland will be here later. I have to go out. Do not tear my house apart. And don’t have anyone over.”
Fiona snorted. “Why?” She threw her hands up. “We didn’t do anything. In fact, some of us helped you today.”
I took in a deep breath and reminded myself to stay calm. My high was already wearing off. “It’s not because you did anything wrong, it’s just been a long day, okay?”
“Ryland will get us pizza,” Darnell muttered under his breath.
“Well, good for him,” I shot back before I could stop myself. When you spent enough time around children, you tended to start sounding like them. I massaged my fingers into my temples. “Listen, I have to go. My phone is on if you need anything.”
Before they could bombard me with any more questions, I shot out the back door. Apparently, Sergio still had my damn car, something that I would deal with later. It only took a few seconds to fly to Ada’s house. When I landed on her front yard, I had to avoid the three cars parked on her front lawn. That was a country thing. In the south, when things broke down, you didn’t get rid of them, you just stacked new, functioning shit on top of them.
With Bao still draped across my shoulders like a flesh scarf, I went to the front door and started to knock on the dirty screen. Before I made it that far, there was a pained wail from inside the house.
The remaining high in my skull leaked out through my ears.
“Lord, Jesus! Have mercy!” a strangled voice wailed.
I started to push the door open. “Mrs. Anne?”
“Is that you, Hex? Get in here! Now.”
I crept inside. The first thing I noticed was that Ada was a damn hoarder. There were books and boxes piled all over the place in her cramped home. My gaze flickered to where she sat on the plastic covered couch and then, my breath hitched.
She was holding a spot on her wrist. Blood spurted out between her fingers. “Lord, Jesus,” she cried, her wrinkled expression contorted in pain. “Hurry up with your proper ass. One of them vamp bastards bit me.”
Chapter Five
I dashed across the room, placed Bao next to Ada on the couch, and hovered over the old woman. “What happened?” I asked, reaching for her wrist.
Her dark gaze darted over to Bao, who was thankfully, still knocked out. “Oh, Lord! Another one! Why did you bring that beast into my damn house?” She flailed her arms and tried to get up.
&n
bsp; “You’re bleeding,” I said, pushing her back down. “What happened?”
Sweat ran down her temples in small rivers. She was still peering at Bao when she said, “I nodded off in the middle of my stories.” Pointing a wrinkled finger at her old school, box style TV, she added, “There was a sharp pain in my wrist. When I woke up, the damn thing was gone.”
I clenched my jaw. “Are you sure it was a vampire?” Turning her wrist over, I tried to get a better look at the wound when she snatched her arm away.
“Leave me be, now!” She swatted at my arm, but I managed to duck out of her way so she didn’t break her hand. “Got to cut it off. I didn’t get up into my eighties only to be taken out by no damn beast of the night.”
My eyes widened. “Cut it off?” I stood up. “You mean, your arm?”
“No, girl. I mean the wart on my ass! Now help me up, shit.”
I blocked her way and she glowered up at me in such a way that I was reminded off all the black women I was raised by and every black girl I used to play double-dutch with after school. Looks like those used to shut me up, and quickly. Keeping my tone even, I said, “You can’t cut your arm off, Mrs. Anne. That’s insane.”
She leveled me with her stare.
I clamped my lips together.
“Now, either help me to my kitchen, or get the hell out of my house.”
With a sigh, I reached down and picked her up. She snorted and wiggled around in my arms. “Put me down, girl. I can walk.” She leapt before I could stop her, landed in front of the coffee table, narrowly missing a stack of magazines. Before I could say anything else, she darted in between all the statues and piles of random objects, then vanished out of sight. I glanced over at Bao, and bit down on my bottom lip. Seconds later, there was a crash from the other room.
“Shit!” Ada called out. “Girl, get in here and help me!”
I hesitated. The last thing I needed was for Bao to wake up and try to kill someone. Still, I needed Ada Anne’s help, and something told me she wouldn’t help me until I helped her. I started toward the kitchen when she called out, “And bring the little beast in here with you!”