Demons of Bourbon Street (19 page)

“
We’ll take back the city,” Goodwin promised the crowd. “Purge the streets of Wiccans, drug dealers, and thieves.”

Wiccans. Idiot. Talk about religious persecution. I longed for a magical duel with the angel in question. What I wouldn’t do to hit him with a powerful indigestion spell. No-good, self-important troublemaker.

I abandoned my mental insults when I spotted the entrance to backstage. Right behind the bouncers was an opening clearly marked Exit. I had to get to that doorway.

Except the large, squat woman came up behind me and stopped me in my tracks when she whispered, “Wait.”

“
Why?”

She grinned and pulled out a microphone. “I’ve got the witch.”

A sinking realization washed over me. Shit! I’d been played. I spun, heading for that open gate, but a man strongly resembling the woman stepped in my path. My only option was to show the world my power by zapping them, or—

An ominous rumble vibrated across the sky, bringing with it the darkest rain cloud I’d ever seen. The sun vanished and in the space of maybe ten seconds, the skies opened, sending fat, pounding rain over the city.

Philip appeared at my side out of nowhere. “Move,” he ordered. “Now.”

Chapter 13

“
Did you cause that?” I asked as Philip dragged me down Saint Peters Street. Rain soaked through my cotton shirt, making gooseflesh pop out over my skin.

“
No. Jonathon did.”

I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to keep warm. “Why? Is this his idea of a sick joke?”

Philip stopped under a balcony. “He had to do something before the crowd tore you apart.”

“
It’s his fault they were after me in the first place,” I cried.

He stared down at me, impatience clinging to his wet body. “No. It’s yours. You went into a volatile crowd and used your magic. He did his best to keep you safe. Why do you think he asked them to bring you to him?”

“
So he could pray for me? Make me an example? How should I know?”

Philip took a step forward and shook his head. “Pay attention, Jade. Jonathon is interested in people leading moral lives. Fire and brimstone are his methods of influence. He has no desire for anyone to get hurt. Especially not you. The only reason he called you out is because you were in danger. You might not like his approach, you might even loathe it, but this was your fault. You had no business showing up at that rally.”

I glared, teeth chattering. I didn’t give a flying shit what Philip said. Jonathon was fostering violence. “He did this. He went on television and basically said witches are evil. His words make people distrust each other. Why me? Why now? All I did was ask for help.”

“
You were the perfect catalyst for his cause.” Philip took off down the street again.

I followed. “And that is…what? Burning witches at the stake?” I ducked under another balcony and pressed against the wall to escape the pounding rain.

He paused. “Mobilizing the masses. Creating press. Keeping the donations rolling in. He’s nothing without a platform.”

“
Oh, he’s something, all right.”

Philip gave a noncommittal shrug and we walked on in silence.

We crossed Bourbon Street, moving deeper into the residential area, and I finally asked, “Where are we going?”

“
Lailah’s.”

Relief mixed with trepidation. If I went anywhere else, Kane was likely to show up. Of course, nothing was stopping him from looking for me at Lailah’s. He did know where she lived, after all. But he probably wouldn’t guess I’d be there.

I hated that I was hiding. Hated that I couldn’t be near him, touch him, and most of all, that my presence actually caused him to suffer. I had to stay away. It would just be too hard to see him, knowing we couldn’t be together. Not while Meri could get to me through him, anyway.

I’d never been inside Lailah’s house before. The pale pink, single shotgun Victorian had a small front porch and a two-person swing, painted turquoise with white daisies. A pair of bright pink flip-flops and a yellow mug that said
Shoes are a girl’s secret to happiness
had been left on the porch.

“
Are you sure this is the right place?” I pushed my sopping hair out of my eyes and scowled as a trickle of water dripped down my back.

Her place seemed so girly. And not at all what I’d expected.

Philip nodded, and the door swung open. Lailah filled the entry, holding two giant, hot pink bath towels. Since when had she taken a shine to so much color? In contrast, she wore a faded green peasant skirt and a black tank top.

“
Here.” She handed us the towels and shooed us in the door. “Some of them might be following you.”

I glanced back at the fat raindrops and darkened streets. Not likely. I wrapped the plush towel around my shoulders and kicked off my shoes, leaving them on the porch.

The vibrant colors of the living room assaulted my vision, and I almost stepped back outside. A bright red couch covered in multi-colored floral pillows sat against the wall. On either side, two end tables had been painted with distorted faces and psychedelic flowers. And to top it off, a hot pink shag rug covered her oak floors. A sense of déjà vu settled over me. It dawned on me I’d been there once before in Lailah’s memory.

The place was much brighter in person. I struggled to keep from shielding my eyes. How could anyone think in such a room?

“
Follow me,” she said and led us to the back of the house.

We passed through a door into a soothing bedroom, done in white and mint green. If it were possible for my eyes to sigh in relief, they would have.

The kitchen, to my surprise, was pure elegance, with its black painted wood floors and gorgeous white cabinetry. Fresh red lilies sat in the middle of her black and white checkerboard table. It was beautiful, but I couldn’t shake the feeling we’d just walked through some version of a funhouse. I eyed Lailah, trying to decide if her decorating indicated some sort of manic disorder.

“
How are you going to work this?” Lailah asked.

“
Huh?” I tore my gaze from the lilies and watched her fill an old-fashioned teapot.

Philip searched her cupboards for mugs, appearing very much at ease in her home. I narrowed my eyes and studied them. A slight brush of an arm as Lailah moved past him. No subtle adjustments for personal space. Brief moments of unshielded eye contact.

Lailah had something going with Philip.

Stop, Jade
, Lailah scolded in my head.
It’s none of your business
.

What about your mate
? I accused.

That’s
definitely
none of your business. Drop it
. She turned to Philip. “Sooner’s better than later.”

“
True.” Philip placed a tea bag in each cup. “But she isn’t ready. If we send her unprepared, we’ll lose both of them.”

I waved a hand from my position at the table. “Excuse me. What are we talking about?”

They both ignored me.

“
What will happen to Kane?” Lailah picked up the teapot and filled the matching red cups with steaming hot water.

Philip closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. “He’ll be tied to her forever unless Jade succeeds.”

Lailah placed one of her delicate hands on Philip’s forearm. A trickle of pity and compassion radiated from her. “I’m so sorry.”

He shook his head. “It’s for the best. It should have happened years ago.”

“
It’s not your fault. No one expected you to be the one to do it.”

I stood. “Do what?”

They both turned, expressions surprised, as if they’d just realized I was still in the room.

Philip spoke first. “Annihilate Meri. It’s the only way you’ll stop her from destroying you and Kane.” He moved to stand next to me and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Even if you keep your distance from Kane, eventually her poison will spread and…he won’t survive.”

Fear squeezed my heart. Kane was in serious trouble. I’d known it, obviously. But I hadn’t let myself consider the consequences. He could die. The image of Kane, cold and lifeless, flashed through my mind. Terror rippled through me.

I clenched my fists and straightened my spine. No way was I letting the evil spawn take Kane from me. “How long does he have?”

Philip frowned. “It’s hard to say. Keeping your distance from him helps, but now that the wound is festering, you probably have less than a week.”

“
Are you saying I have to go—” I swallowed “—to Hell?”

“
Yes.” His voice turned low, full of regret.

Meri had said Philip didn’t come after her. I couldn’t help but wonder why. Hadn’t he loved her enough? Were there other factors beyond his control? Whatever happened, I wouldn’t let his mistakes stop me. Not if it meant losing Kane.

“
She’s going to need help,” Lailah said gently.

“
I know.” Philip paced the tiny kitchen. “This time I have no choice.”

He stood with his back to us, hands on the counter. I glanced at Lailah. “What’s he talking about?”

She shook her head, indicating now wasn’t the best time for questions.

Philip turned around with hardened eyes. “I’ll have to send you to Meri—to Hell— and help you destroy her.”

***

I sat in Lailah’s color-overload living room, staring at my iPhone. I’d envisioned performing some sort of spell to bring Dan back from Hell. And while I’d considered it a possibility that I might have to navigate the gates of the underworld, I hadn’t truly believed it was an option.

Now, after Philip’s explanation, I realized it was my only option. If I didn’t go in and find Meri, Kane would slowly lose his soul. If I tried to summon her, she’d siphon all my strength straight through him.

The phone vibrated. Another text from Kane:
Where are you?

I’d sent him a text earlier letting him know I was safe but hadn’t relayed any other information. The phone buzzed again. This time it was Pyper:
Put him out of his misery and call him already.

I typed back,
Soon
.

It wasn’t that I wanted to avoid him. On the contrary, I longed to curl up in his arms. I just didn’t know what to say. There was no way he was going to be okay with me sacrificing myself for him. And there was no way I wasn’t going to do it.