Predestined (10 page)

“But why did you save
me?”

Leif gave me a small sad smile and
tilted his head to the side studying me. “I’m not your darkest
dream, Pagan. I may walk in the darkness but I saw a life worth
saving and I chose it. My father chose it. He agreed you were meant
for me. Now it’s up to you to accept that the life you have always
lived is coming to an end. It is past time. You were supposed to
die that day on the road and when Death came I was to take your
soul instead. You would’ve trusted me. Your soul and my spirit are
one. But Death broke the rules,” Leif growled and stalked over to
one of the many candles lighting the room, “I’d become lax in my
judgment. I knew Death was with you but I believed he was doing
what he does when he takes a special interest in a soul, preparing
you. Instead, the fool was falling in love with you.”

I watched horrified as he held his
hand over the flame causing it to grow until the tip was licking
against his palm. His fist tightened over the flame then he turned
back to me and opened his hand to reveal a ball of fire.

“I may not control Death but I do
control the dead. Those who made less than intelligent choices on
earth. They walk among the darkness under my father’s command.
Under my command. I need someone to fill the loneliness. You’ve
been my companion for over fifteen years now even if you don’t
realize it. But your memories will slowly return. You’ll see that
you do, in fact, belong to me.”

Dank was stronger than this. I
chanted that reminder in my head to keep my heart from racing in my
chest. He would find me. Even if I was in the pits of Hell.
Glancing around I seriously doubted that was where we were. Nothing
about this place reminded me of Hell. Well, except that I was stuck
in here with a Voodoo spirit lord.

“You’re just going to take me from
earth? What about my mother? I can’t just leave her.” That was
actually the least of my worries but he’d brought up my mother’s
grieving so I thought I’d throw it back in his face.

Leif frowned and closed the
distance between us causing my body to go on high alert. I had to
mentally force myself not to recoil from his closeness. I wasn’t
sure how he’d handle that. He was bound and determined my soul was
his but it sure didn’t want to have anything to do with
him.

“I’ll take you back soon. She won’t
even realize you were gone. I just needed a place where I could
talk to you. To explain, without,” he paused and a sour expression
curled his lips, “that stupid transporter or Dankmar continuously
botching my attempts.”

So he was taking me home. I wasn’t
going to be stuck in this creepy cellar room forever. This was the
best news I’d heard since he walked into the room. Breathing became
easier.

“You were worried I would hold you
prisoner? Come on Pagan, you know me better than that. When have I
not made sure you were happy? When have I ever intentionally hurt
you? Never,” he finished reaching out to grab my hand and hold it
in his. I wanted to jerk it away and run to the other side of the
room but I didn’t. Angering him wasn’t the best idea. If he was
planning on letting me go home I didn’t want to change his mind by
pissing him off.

“What is it you want to talk to me
about?” I asked in a soft non-confrontational tone. It seemed to
please him and his boyish grin appeared. That was the Leif I knew.
Just seeing his smile eased my mind.

“That’s better. Your heart has
slowed down. I don’t like having you scared. I never want you to
fear me.”

Too bad. I wasn’t a fan of evil
spirits so I would always fear him.

“Come for a walk with me, please.
We can talk while I show you around,” he said tugging gently on my
arm. I wasn’t really in the mood to take a tour of Hell but I also
wanted to go home so I let him lead me to the stone door that
matched the walls perfectly. I’d have never known it existed had he
not used it.

The cool moist air didn’t surprise
me as much as my surroundings did. This wasn’t Hell. Although it
smelled very similar to what I’d expect if it were. The steam
rising from the black asphalt street in front of me was from the
wet night air cooling it down from what must have been an
abnormally warm winter day, not the pits of Hell. The old and
weathered French buildings lining the street were filled with bars,
dance clubs, and of course voodoo shops. I might not be in Hell but
this was the closest thing to it. A door to the bar directly across
from us opened and a man came stumbling out cackling loudly as a
larger man threw him out then firmly closed the door. The small boy
tap dancing only inches from the drunk man didn’t even flinch as
the man cursed and laughed while walking directly at him. Where
were that boy’s parents? It had to be midnight. A woman ran up the
street squealing with laughter then stopped and lifted her already
tiny top until both her breast bounced free and bare for the man
chasing her. She then turned and continued to run from him in
stiletto heels with her chest completely in view for the world to
see. The man finally caught up with her and swung her up in his
arms burying his face somewhere I’d rather not see. Jerking my gaze
off them and their revolting behavior I saw a horse drawn buggy
making its way toward us. I’d never really seen one of these in
real life. I wondered if that was why the streets smelled of manure
and vomit.

“Come on Pagan, you’ve got your
eyeful. Let’s go for a ride,” Leif pulled me toward the carriage as
the horse stopped in front of us.

“We’re going to ride?” I asked as
he lifted me up into the back of the buggy.

“Yep,” he responded grinning and
took the seat across from me instead of beside me. I was thankful
for the distance from him but I didn’t like the fact that his eyes
would be fixed on me.

“So, what do you think of Bourbon
Street? Everything you’d ever imagined?”

I could honestly say I’d never
thought of Bourbon Street at all. Not once in my life did I imagine
anything about it. Now, I knew the exact location in Louisiana Leif
had brought me. I turned my attention back to the streets as we
passed by them. Lights broadcasting naked women flashed in windows
and chalkboards claiming to have the best gumbo in town also filled
the streets. Voodoo shops were endless and the small little dolls
I’d always thought of when someone mentioned Voodoo littered the
windows. That was all I’d ever known of Voodoo. A little doll you
stuck needles into when you disliked someone. It was an amusing
thought, nothing more. How off track I’d been.

“These shops, the Voodoo ones...,”
I began and Leif chuckled.

“Are owned by regular people
sucking the tourists dry. Not one of them hold any power. I’d guess
if a real voodoo spirit were to grace their doors they’d close up
and leave town. The real voodoo isn’t along these streets. It can
only be found deep in the swamp by those chosen by the spirits to
embody it.”

Oh fabulous, the evil spirits were
picky. Doesn’t that just make it all better. I didn’t roll my eyes
but the grin on Leif’s face said he knew I was attempting to be on
my best behavior.

The old French buildings began to
give way to cleaner, more elegant buildings. I wondered how much of
New Orleans I was going to see before I was sent back
home.

“This is the Garden District. It is
a nicer area. The most well preserved southern mansions can be
found right here.”

As fascinating as that was I wasn’t
interested in New Orleans neighborhoods.

“What did you want to talk to me
about Leif? Why am I here?”

Leif leaned forward and rested his
elbows on his knees. I straightened in my bench seat in order to
keep a safe distance from him. Thankfully he didn’t seem to
notice.

“I know you understand now what
your mother did. You remember all the times I’ve come to you in
your life. You know it was me that day in the old Voodoo queen’s
home that removed the sickness from your body. Yes, I did it and I
require, my father requires, a restitution for it. All gris gris
comes with payment. Not the monetary kind like the voodoo shop
owners require. Real Voodoo requires something more. The more
difficult the request, the more the payment will be.

I wanted you to live Pagan. I’d
watched you from the moment you arrived in New Orleans. The nurse
watching over you was the granddaughter of the voodoo queen. She
brought me to see you the first day you arrived. I was fascinated
with your spunk. My father was looking for my mate and I went to
him with the request to have you. He said we must wait. That if it
was meant to happen then fate would play into our hands. When the
doctors said you would not see another day, your mother went to the
nurse and she brought you to the old voodoo queen who summoned
me.”

He stopped and studied me a moment.
I’d known most of this already, except of course, the connection
with the nurse. After taking a deep breath, almost a sigh, Leif
continued, “A life cannot be spared for free. The cost is a life
for a life. I saved your life and in doing so bought your soul. It
has been mine since the day you were healed. I’ve been near you
ever since.”

My mother had sold my soul to the
devil. That was what he was telling me. Except it was hard to think
of Leif as the devil. He looked so normal sitting there in front of
me. If only he were a normal boy I could break up with and walk
away from.

“None of this makes sense. Why did
you become human? Why did you ignore me for years? Why did you
pretend with me? Why do you want me? Why can’t you just let me go?”
The questions spilled out of my mouth. And Leif started to open his
mouth again when an angry sneer took its place. That was new. That
most definitely did not look like the Leif I knew. What had I said
to set him off and, ohgod, don’t let him morph into a horrid
demon.

“He’s here. How the hell did
Dankmar get here so quickly?” he roared and the buggy came to a
stop. I took in my surroundings as Leif stood up and jumped down
from the buggy leaving me alone. The street lights were dim and the
nice lit up mansions and busy streets we’d been on earlier were
gone. This was downright creepy. A hand grabbed my arm and I jerked
around and screamed but it instantly died as Dank pulled me up into
his arms.

“It’s okay,” he assured me and I
let out a choked sob of relief. He was here. I was going home. He
ran his hand down my hair. “Shhhh, I got you. He’s
gone.”

“Where? Are you sure?” I whispered
against his chest.

“Yes, he bolted instead of facing
me. He’s out-ranked Pagan. I told you that.”

Nodding into his chest I wrapped my
arms around his waist and inhaled his scent. I didn’t care that
he’d hurt my feelings earlier. I’d over-reacted. I just wanted to
leave this place.

“Let’s go home,” he whispered in my
ear.

Chapter Nine

Dank

“You won’t end this if
you stay here huddled over her like some damn guard dog,” Gee
grumbled from the chair that sat in the corner of Pagan’s
bedroom.

I didn’t even take the time to
sneer at her. I couldn’t take my eyes off Pagan as she lay sleeping
in her bed. Safe. She was here with me and she was safe. The rage
inside of me from having her snatched away right under my nose
boiled. I’d been lax in my dealings with these spirits but no more.
They’d messed with the wrong guy. The next soulless creature they
sent near Pagan would be ended. I wouldn’t wait around to see what
its intentions were. I would just end its existence. I’d be
starting with Kendra. She wouldn’t be another missing person.
Unlike the weak spirit lord I could make sure no one remembered
her. I wouldn’t have to wait until their souls all forgot she
existed. It would be a clean excision. Kendra should have vanished
when Leif did. It bothered me she was still around although she’d
caused no stir since his departure. I’d watched her but she’d acted
as if she were the flighty air-headed cheerleader she had always
been. Not once had she approached Pagan or tried to flirt with me
in order to upset her. At least she had more sense than the one who
created her and knew to leave me and mine alone.

“You have that ‘I’m going to kick
someone’s ass’ snarl on your face, Dankmar. What are you planning?”
Gee demanded.

I’d almost forgotten Gee’s presence
in the room. She’d been here when we returned worried about Pagan.
That was one thing I could say about Gee. She was loyal to a fault,
and Pagan had managed to snare Gee’s loyalty. Now getting rid of
her was the problem.

“Kendra needs to go. Soulless
creatures have no place here and I don’t want her near
Pagan.”

“Oh goody. I like that plan. The
bitch should’ve gone back when Leif did. I’ve been watching her at
school and she isn’t causing a problem but the fact remains she’s
there. Leif left her there for a reason.”

“Exactly.” For once we agreed. But
then when it came to Pagan’s safety Gee was always on board. Pagan
muttered in her sleep and rolled over onto her back. I watched in
awe as her eyelashes fluttered against her high cheekbones. The
plump bottom lip I adored was sticking out just a little as if she
were pouting. Dark silky locks of her hair fanned out around her on
the pillow. Everything about her was incredible.