by J. N. Colon
This time my mother moved forward. She was in even more trouble than Abuela. If my freaky protection shield was no match for my grandmother, I could only imagine what it would do to a regular human.
I ground my teeth and tried to suck my power inside. A throbbing began in my head, sharp needles jamming into my skull. It was no use. How could someone be so powerless against themselves?
My mother’s hand reached out. Please don’t let me hurt her.
Tiny bolts of electricity arced out, popping against her fingers. She yanked her hand away, staring at it with wide eyes. If she tried again, she’d get much more than a light shock.
My tattoo flared to life, wildly pulsating, as Etie barreled through the windstorm, his glowing green and blue eyes finding me. A sob escaped my lungs, and I hit my knees. He would stop the disaster I’d created.
The voodoo caster began yelling at my mother and Abuela. I couldn’t understand what he was saying, but his anger was evident.
My relief quickly dissipated as he marched toward my bubble. I frantically shook my head, knowing he’d try to enter it to get to me. “No! You can’t. It’ll hurt you.”
Etie ignored me and pressed both hands against the invisible barrier—and easily stepped inside.
“Etie.” His name came out as a strangled gasp.
His expression twisted as he knelt, scooping me up in his arms. “Angeline, come here.”
I buried my face in his chest. “How did you get through?”
“You’re my alimèt,” he murmured. “Nothing can keep me away. No power on this earth.”
Relief so acute it was painful erupted through my chest. I wanted to collapse against him, but the storm was still ravaging the cemetery. “I can’t stop it. I can’t control it.”
He pulled back, cradling my face. “Yes, you can. You’re stronger than you think.”
“That’s the problem.” Fresh tears leaked down my cheeks, running onto his fingers. “I’m too strong.”
Etie shook his head, his wind-blown hair falling into his face. “I don’t mean your powers. I mean you.” He placed his hand over my chest, his simple touch warm and comforting. “You are so much stronger than you think.”
“No, I’m not.” My gaze lingered over the destruction I was causing. “Look at this mess. Is the whole town like this?”
“Only here.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “You can stop this, Angeline. I’ll help you.” His eyes burned into mine. “I just need you to let go.”
I sucked in a sharp breath. “That’s the opposite of what I need to do.”
“You trust me, yeah?”
I nodded. When it came down to it, I trusted Etie more than anyone. It didn’t matter how much we fought or how angry he made me. He would always protect me.
“Then let go.” His power sparked around us, mixing with mine.
I swallowed hard and released the fire boiling inside. Etie’s lids drifted shut as he whispered words in Vondou under his breath.
The uncomfortable heat slowly began to disappear as if he was drawing it away. My heartbeat slowed, matching his, as did my breathing. The chaos beyond the safety of my bubble finally died.
Etie opened his glowing eyes. “You okay, no?”
A heavy breath seeped from my mouth, and I swayed on my knees. “Yeah, I guess.” It suddenly felt like I weighed a thousand pounds.
“It’s okay, cher. Lean on me.” His arms wrapped around me and my body melted into his. The protective shield dissolved.
Through my heavy lids, my mother and Abuela appeared, both wearing worried expressions.
“What did you do?” My mother’s voice was strangled. “Is she okay?”
“I’m fine,” I mumbled, darkness beginning to seep around the edges of my vision. It felt as if I had run a marathon, fought a couple of bears, and danced with a tornado.
Etie’s nostrils flared. “She’s not fine.” He gently stood, picking me up and cradling me in his arms. “She’s been begging for help, and all you two want to do is find a way to bind her powers.” He took a deep breath, attempting to calm the storm of emotions raging through him. “That’s not going to work. If I thought it would, I’d be the first one to try it.”
“What else would you have us do, Étienne?” Abuela’s voice was dry, weak almost, and lacked her usual confidence.
“Teach her,” he spat, adjusting me in his arms.
A long pause stretched before my grandmother spoke again. “Let’s get her home. We’ll figure out what to do.”
Etie tensed. “Angeline is coming home with me.”
“Now wait a minute.” My mother’s tone sharpened. “She’s my daughter and—”
“She’s my alimèt. She needs me right now. Just me.”
My lids peeked open in time to see my mother’s jaw drop. Honestly, I didn’t care where I was as long as Etie was with me. “Etie…” I mumbled, my words drifting off as darkness finally consumed me.
Chapter 9
I rolled over, getting lost in the soft, warm blankets coated in Etie’s soothing blend of wild herbs and spices. My lids drifted open, taking in the light tawny walls and dark furniture. Etie had brought me to his house.
Nighttime still encased the swamp outside his bedroom windows, the moonlight fractured by tree branches and Spanish moss. An owl hooted nearby, and the rhythmic croaking of frogs echoed across the water.
Etie wasn’t in his room, but he was close. I felt too safe for him not to be.
My eyes fluttered closed again. A minute or an hour could have passed when warm fingers brushed the hair from my face. I breathed deeply as weight pressed on the edge of the bed. “Etie.” His name was the first thought that entered my mind.
“I’m here, Angeline.” Soft lips skimmed my forehead. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired.” My voice was raspy, and every single muscle in my body ached.
“I bet.” He gently rubbed my back. “That was a lot of magic, cher. You could probably sleep for days.”
His words brought nightmarish images to the forefront of my mind. My chest tightened at everything that had happened—from fighting with my mother to destroying the cemetery in a wind and lightning storm. I bit my bottom lip. Geez. What did people in town think happened? A freaking tornado?
As if he could read my mind, Etie tried to soothe my worries. “Don’t worry about it, cher. All anyone knows is a storm happened.”
I met his mismatched eyes. His dark brown hair was still a mess, and a sexy five o’clock shadow was forming over his jaw. The scar on his cheek glinted in the dim light. My heart thumped. How could he look so damn hot all the time? I, on the other hand, was a hot mess right now. Leaves and twigs were no doubt stuck in my hair.
I sighed, shaking off the tingles from the Cajun Casanova. “I really screwed up.”
His brows dipped. “No. Your family did. Milagro should be helping you instead of ignoring the problem.”
He was right. They shouldn’t have turned me away every time I asked for help. My powers weren’t going anywhere, and they weren’t going to be forced down again with some flimsy bind.
I swallowed hard as my mother’s words in her office floated to the surface. Did my dad’s death have something to do with me? Did he die protecting me? I’d been lied to so many times. Maybe the details of my father’s death were no different.
“What is it, cher?” Etie’s husky voice brought me out of my reverie. His mismatched eyes were dark and tinged with worry. “You look ready to cry.”
I choked back the emotions and doubts. If I spoke my fears out loud, it would make them too real. I couldn’t handle it if I were the cause of my father’s death. “Nothing. I just wish my grandmother would teach me.” I struggled into a sitting position, leaning against the pillows. “I saw her use magic for the first time.”
Etie tucked a lock of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my cheek. “She doesn’t understand what it’s like to have this massive force inside. Sometimes it has a mind
of its own, and there’s no controlling it, no matter how much you try.”
If anyone could understand what I was going through, it was Etie. He may have been a voodoo caster and me a witch, but his power was just as dangerous as mine.
“It’s not easy being something so powerful. People want to use us, and our powers want to control us.” He leaned forward, pinning me with those intense, scorching eyes. “But I’ll make sure you get through this, Angeline. I’ll make sure no one hurts you.”
I wasn’t only worried about myself. Those around me could get hurt. Maybe some already had.
Etie peeled the covers back. “Come on. My mama made some food. You need to eat.”
I glanced at my bare legs, my brow arching. “Where are my clothes?” I was in one of his t-shirts.
“I took them off.” He said it like it was normal, like he undressed me every day.
My body remained stuck to the bed. “Um, why?”
He grabbed my hand and pulled me up, steadying my wobbly legs. “They were dirty.” That crooked half smile curled his lips. “I’ve seen you in your underwear before.”
A flush spread over my skin. “Yeah, but—”
“I love the black lace.” His hand squeezed my hip, and he winked.
This guy was infuriating and cute at the same time. I resisted as he tried to pull me toward the door. “I’m not going out there in just your t-shirt.” While it reached my knees, I didn’t feel right walking around his mother half-dressed.
Etie grabbed a pair of sweatpants from his drawer, tossing them to me. “These are going to be way too big, so if you trip, it’s your own fault.”
I rolled my eyes and slipped them on, getting lost in the excess material. A chuckle rumbled through him. “Keep it up, voodoo caster. Just wait until you’re asleep. I might eat all your candy.”
“Not possible.”
My brow arched. “Then I’ll toss it into the swamp. I’m sure the alligators would appreciate some dessert.”
His face fell. “Don’t even joke like that, cher. You don’t want to see me without sugar.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me out the door.
A delicious, savory aroma filled the house as we stepped into the hall, my stomach instantly rumbling. “It smells like I’ve died and gone to heaven.” I licked my lips. We entered the cozy kitchen, his mother at the stove stirring a big pot.
“She makes the best seafood gumbo.” He flashed me a boyish smile. “Mama, look who finally woke up.”
Gabrielle Benoit glanced over her shoulder, her crystalline-blue eyes lighting up. “Oh, Evangeline, it so good to see you again.” She left the stove and pulled me into a warm hug. Her skin smelled like peaches and vanilla. “Étienne told me you had quite the day.” She pulled back, peering into my face with one of those motherly looks. “He’s taking good care of you, no?”
“Always.” Etie might irritate the hell out of me, and he could be overbearing as hell, but he was always there when I needed him. I caught sight of his proud smile before he turned away, pulling a chair out for me at the table.
“Come sit, cher,” he said. “I’ll get your food.”
Gabrielle tsked. “You both been through a lot lately. Let me get it.” She flicked her blonde braid over her shoulder and shuffled back to the stove.
His mother knew Etie had bound our souls to save me from Baron Samedi. She seemed more proud of her son than anything, and I couldn’t help but get a little choked up. While my mother and Abuela were so busy treating Etie like a villain, Gabrielle welcomed me into her home with opened arms.
Etie’s hand rested on my leg, his head tilted in my direction. “What’s a matter?”
I shook my head, taking a moment to clear my throat. “Nothing. I’m fine.”
Gabrielle placed a steaming bowl in front of each of us. “You two eat.” Her soft gaze shifted to me. “Eat as much or as little as you want.”
I smiled. She was the opposite of my grandmother who was always pushing me to eat more. “Thanks.”
Etie was already making moaning sounds. “So good, Mama. Thank you.”
She shook her head. “Don’t talk with your mouth full. You know better than that.”
I took a bite, the flavors exploding over my tongue. I understood why Etie couldn’t sit still. It was that damn good.
The back door opened and the air in the kitchen suddenly dropped ten degrees. Henri Benoit stood inside the doorjamb, his dark eyes traveling over Etie and me before settling on his wife. They were legally still married.
Etie shot out of his seat so forcefully, the chair slammed to the ground. “Get the hell out of this house.”
“Don’t, Étienne.” She glared at Henri, clutching the spoon like she wanted to beat him over the head with it. I wouldn’t be surprised if she did. “You got some nerve coming here, Henri.”
“I only came because of the girl.” He jerked his chin toward me.
That was the wrong thing to say. Power pulsed from Etie, throbbing against my skin. “You stay away from Angeline.” His voice sent chills down my spine.
“I felt all that power earlier,” Henri said. “It wasn’t voodoo, so I knew it had to be coming from your other half.” He stepped forward.
Gabrielle moved, standing directly in his path. The sweet, delicate woman had disappeared and was replaced by a she-wolf ready to tear Henri’s head off to protect her family. “I faced you before. You think I’m afraid to do it again?”
Something flashed over his expression. If I didn’t know better, I’d think it was regret. And sadness. He sighed and ran his hand over his face. “I didn’t come here to hurt anyone or ask for a spell. I simply wanted to help.”
“You’ve done enough help to this family.” Gabrielle raised the spoon, and for a second, I thought she was going to hurl it at him. Instead, she jerked it toward the door. “Leave.”
His gaze fell to the tile. “You ever going to forgive me?”
A humorless laugh slipped out of her. “Forgive you? You’re lucky I haven’t already knocked you out and dumped your body in the swamp. No one would miss you.”
Ouch. That was harsh.
A sad smile tipped the edges of Henri’s lips. “I forgot how much of a firecracker you are.”
A ripple coursed through Etie’s body. He was moments away from lunging at his father. My pulse spiked, and I gripped his arm, holding him in place. Of course he could have easily shrugged me off. “Don’t,” I pleaded. Last time they were face to face, the darkness quickly began to overwhelm Etie.
His nostrils flared as he pierced me with a wild look. “You can’t expect me to sit here while this asshole comes into my home uninvited.”
That was exactly what I expected.
“I ain’t staying.” Henri interrupted the silent staredown we were having. “I just wanted to bring this.” He pulled a leather necklace out of his pocket, a silver pendant dangling from the end. “For Evangeline.”
Etie moved, pushing me behind him. “She don’t need a damn thing from you.”
“Oh, I think she does.” He lifted the necklace higher. “It’s a nivum talisman. It’ll help stabilize her powers.” He gave a noncommittal shrug. “It ain’t a permanent fix, but it’ll help in the meantime.”
I peeked around Etie, eager to see anything that could prevent me from unleashing a force of nature like I had earlier.
Etie’s eyes narrowed. “That’s not going to work. It’s not strong enough.”
“If you anoint it with your own powers, it’ll be good enough for a while.” He held it out, the leather dangling from one of his long fingers.
Was this a trick? Had Henri done something to that necklace to hurt me or steal my powers?
He couldn’t be that stupid. Etie would realize if he’d cast an evil voodoo spell on the talisman.
The heavy silence stretched while Henri waited for his son to take his offering. Etie glanced at me, his eyes searching mine. He must have seen—or felt—my desperation. He stepped forward and snatched it
from Henri. “If I find anything amiss, I’ll do worse than feed you to the gators out back.”
Chapter 10
Etie secured the necklace around me, fixing it so the silver talisman hung in the hollow of my throat. My index finger ran over the tiny voodoo symbols carved into it. I hoped this thing would prevent my powers from escalating as bad as they had yesterday.
“I don’t want to leave you,” he murmured, his hands running down my arms. The morning sun rose in the sky, bathing him in a warm, heavenly glow. “I should take the day off. Bastien can handle it.”
I shot him a half-serious glare. “I could just come with you.”
His brows dipped. “You should take it easy today.”
“I’m fine.” I tugged on the necklace. “I have this.” After Henri left, Etie went to the shed in the back where Bastien usually took customers. He locked himself inside for hours, checking the talisman until he deemed it safe.
Etie made a harrumphing sound. “I don’t know how well that’s going to hold.”
I grimaced. “Yeah, I know. I’m strong. I’m the freaking—”
His head suddenly cocked to the side, his eyes flaring with magic. “Someone’s here.”
I glanced back at my house. “Inside?”
“Yes.” His fingers laced through mine, and he pulled me toward the door. “A witch—other than your family.”
My pulse spiked as we stepped over the threshold. It couldn’t be someone dangerous. They would have warned me.
Laughter and light conversation spilled from the kitchen. My mother, Abuela, and Marisol sat at the table with an unfamiliar guy about my age. Tan arms rested on the cream wood top, and sunlight shimmered on gold strands in his honey-brown waves. A forest-green t-shirt strained against his shoulders and chest.
When he turned in our direction, a pair of brown eyes landed on me, melting to warm pools of milk chocolate. “You must be Angel.” A wide smile spread over his bronzed face, displaying rows of perfect white teeth.
Etie instantly stiffened. “Who are you?” He tugged me closer, his body practically engulfing mine.