Villere House (Blood of My Blood) (22 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

I
gnoring the trepidation on Lottie's face and body language that clearly said, "Stay away from me", Xavier headed straight for Sanite's altar. He'd get to the bottom of her apprehension. He knew what he wanted. He needed to hear her desires. But first he needed to take care of his crazy great-aunt. It was the only way he'd feel safe with Lottie in the house.

The first thing he did was extinguish the freshly lit candles. Setting Sanite's portrait on the adjacent shelf, he dumped the contents of her basket into Laurent's before moving the statues into a closet. He was in the middle of filling a trash bag with the remaining items scattered on the table when Grandmere's shriek and grip on his arm interrupted him.

"What do you think you're doing, boy?"

Even though she was blind, he was pretty sure she knew exactly what he was doing.

"Taking away a little power from Aunt Sanite," he said without pausing in the clean-up.

"You can't do that." Her voice was almost a growl. "She'll be very angry."

Letting the bag ease from his hand, he slowly turned to her, afraid of what he might see. "And so...what?"

"She is a powerful Voodoo queen." Her face was twisted into a snarl.

"Was, you mean," he said quietly. The snarl deepened. "Was. She's dead."

That same low growl erupted in her throat, her clouded eyes flashed black and she lunged at him, her wrinkled hands clawing at his face. She was stronger than she should be, and he struggled to keep her at bay without hurting her.

"You had to bring that girl here!" she screeched. "You were warned, but like every man, you couldn't resist a pretty girl, could you!"

He let her back him against the shelf. His hand braced against her sternum, he was able to keep her at arm's length, but not without sacrificing his forearms. She clawed at scratched at them, blood seeping from his skin. He didn't dare push her away. If she happened to fall…

Holy shit. This wasn't quite what he expected. He wasn't sure the day could get any weirder.

Reaching over his shoulder, he fumbled for the portrait. She continued to thrash against his outstretched arm, a series of inhuman noises erupting from her.

Fingers skimming the edge, he barely secured his grasp on the frame before jerking his arm over her head and smashing the portrait into the wall. Glass shattered, Grandmere shrieked, the room seemed to shudder, and then the old woman went limp.

He jumped forward to catch her before she toppled over, easing her to the floor.

Her clouded eyes blinked at him as her chest heaved. "I told you that girl wouldn't be welcome in this house," she whispered, her voice sounding strained. "I told you you'd make her angry."

"Are you all right?" he asked, shaking off the shock of her apparent possession and subsequent attack.

She nodded. "What happened? Did I hurt you?"

He glanced at his scratched forearms. "I'll heal."

The snarl returned, but this time it was just her normal petulant expression. She nodded again. "Help me to my feet."

"I'm taking Sanite's altar down," he told her as he lifted her from the floor.

"That's a bad idea."

"It's what has to happen."

"It won't change nothin'. Do not, under any circumstances, underestimate her. You must respect her, even fear her. You must trust me on this, boy. Even in death she has power."

"I'm well aware of that. She tried to kill Lottie."

If she was shocked by his words she didn't show it. "I did warn you."

He could hardly believe his ears. It was implausible that the woman before him, the matriarch of his family, the woman who had helped raise him, could be so callous.

"So you knew all along! You knew Sanite had cursed Élise Cantrelle and her family, and you did nothing!"

"I don't know nothin' about no curse." Her jaw squared defiantly.

He had to trust her. If he didn't, his entire existence would seem like a fraud. "What do you know, Grandmere?" he asked, forcing his tone to soften.

She lifted her chin. "Élise Cantrelle killed Laurent Villere, Sanite's brother, and your grandfather. She nearly destroyed this family." The words were almost said with pride.

"Hardly. Laurent was in love with Élise. He was killed by a jealous American man. Shot in the chest as he left Élise's house."

Grandmere's eyes narrowed. "How do you know these things?"

"I've been living them in dreams, through the eyes of a Loa, through Laurent's spirit. The same as Lottie, only through Élise's eyes."

Her blind eyes widened.

"I really don't have time to explain right now, but this is what's going to happen, from now on there will be no shrines made for her. Not even a small one—"

"But without her, this family, this house, our legacy, would be nothing. Nothing!"

"And we can still pay our respects, Grandmere, without giving her spirit more power. You said it yourself, she is dangerous. Look what just happened. She is jealous and she is resentful. Of a woman her brother loved. A woman who did nothing but love him back. Why would you want to empower her?"

"She is our legacy..."

"And so is Laurent!"

"I realize that, boy, but—"

"But nothing!" It was the firmest tone he'd ever taken with her and she shrank back a little. "I love you, Grandmere, and my eyes have finally been opened to the truth of Voodoo, of everything you're tried to teach me for years, but this is the way it is going to be. Not only did Sanite nearly kill the woman I love, but she almost got Julien killed in the process. She nearly destroyed
this
family. Now, today. And she destroyed Lottie's family. Her reign is over."

He shoved the remaining altar items, including the tablecloth, into the bag and tied it tight. Grabbing Sanite's shattered portrait, he stooped and kissed Grandmere's cheek. Though her jaw was still firmly clamped shut, she didn't fight him. "Call on Papa Legba. Ask Grandpere. You will see the truth."

He left her standing in the store. There would more time to explain to her and to his mother, who he was pretty sure was already on his side. Right now, he needed to get back to Lottie.

After locking the items from Sanite's altar in the safe, that was exactly what he did.

~

Lottie was still wrestling with her own demons and insecurity when three knocks sounded from the door.

"Hey," Xavier whispered when she opened the door. "May I come in?"

She opened it wide. "Of course."

His expression was still reserved. That couldn't be a good sign.

She shut the door softly behind him.

He walked all the way into the room, seemingly surveying his surroundings before turning to her. "How's your neck?"

She subconsciously touched the bandage and then dropped her hand. "Good." She was hoping he'd reach for her as he had so many times before, anxious for his touch, anxious for reassurance she was right about his feelings. Anxious to be close.

When he stood rigid, her body immediately began to fidget. Heat rose in her belly and her heart began to beat at a frenzied pace.

"I think I took care of any problems we might have here. You can feel safe staying."

Did that mean he wanted her to stay or he was saying she could stay until she booked her ass home?

"So, what now?" she asked instead, too afraid to be direct. Her earlier internal speech about telling him how she felt was drowned out by the roaring of blood in her ears.

"You tell me."

Oh God. What did that mean?

She was trying to organize her haphazard thoughts into cohesion when he said, "I need to ask you something and I want you to be honest."

She nodded rapidly, dismissing the pain it caused in her neck. The heat in her body rose and she could feel sweat begin to bead on her skin.

"Now that all of this...shit is over..." He paused and took a deep breath, settling his dark gaze directly on her. "I'm just going to come out and say it. Lottie, when you kiss me do you think of Laurent?"

She blinked. "What?"

"When you're with me, is it Laurent you're thinking of?"

"Is that what you think?"

"Well, you
were
all over me after the séance and then after
Luxure
... I think it's a legitimate question." Shaking his head, he looked away.

Run
, a tiny voice said in her head.

"You really think I'm that desperate? That lonely? That delusional?"

He turned back, his expression...appalled. "No. It's just...after all the crazy shit that's happened, I don't know
what
to believe. I can't trust my own instincts any more."

Runrun
.

Her body was on fire. Panic seized her chest, squeezing tight with every rapid beat. "So you let me seduce you...you had
sex
with me...all the while believing I was only with you because of Laurent?"

Runrunrun.

The fear and panic still squeezing her heart tight crept over her skin. She couldn't handle it, this, any of it. It was delusional for her to think she could. She had to get away, get out before things got worse. One more heartbreak was likely to send her over the edge.

Runrunrunrunrunrunrun!

Diving for her suitcase, she frantically stuffed the escaped clothing and toiletries back inside.

"Whoa, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing, Xavier. It's over. Élise is free, the curse is broken, and I have a chance of living a full fucking life—if I can make it to the stupid airport without killing myself in the process."

"It's one a.m..."

"Maybe there's a red-eye. Or I'll just rent a car. "

"Lottie…"

She shook her head. "No."

"Look at me."

She shook her head again. Zipping her case closed, she started for the door when he took her arm. "Damnit, Lottie, stop!"

She couldn't. If she hesitated one second she'd be lost. It was better to leave now while her emotions were mostly intact. If she could be alone, she might actually be able to process them.

Yanking her arm free, she bolted out the door and down the steps, her roller clanging behind her.

Xavier was steps away. He caught up to her in the courtyard, jerking her around so quickly it jolted her back into him. He held her tightly as her suitcase flopped onto the ground beside them.

"Just stop!" he yelled, still holding her. "You are making me crazy. Quit running away. Look, I didn't mean to upset you. Seriously. Jesus!" He took a deep breath. "I just needed to make sure your feelings for me were real and not because of some fucking dream or vision or possession or ghosts or some other weird shit."

His embrace felt so good. She closed her eyes, her body shaking so violently it felt like pieces of her would start breaking off.

"Of course they're real," she said into his chest, her voice shuddering with the effort. She might have pulled away but he held her tight. "Why wouldn't they be?"

Finally, he eased backward, still keeping her shoulders gripped in his hands. "Okay." He bowed his head to look at her. "Okay?"

Stay
, the voice murmured in her head.

She continued to shake, fighting back tears. She was done with crying. She was too exhausted to cry. She was too exhausted to think.

"I don't know."

Stay
, it whispered.
Stay.

His sigh was audible. "I know you've been through a lot. I know you're still probably confused. But you've got to help me understand. Please?"

She shook her head fiercely. She couldn't answer him. Couldn't say a word from the emotion threatening to overwhelm her. It was the cemetery all over again.

Just breathe.

"All right, then I'll start. I want to be with you, Lottie. And not because of Élise or Laurent or any of that. And I'm sorry I doubted you or your intentions. It's just all been a little…overwhelming." He smiled softly. "Look, I know you have to finish out this semester, but after I would really like to see where this goes."

She heaved air in and out of her lungs in an attempt to convince her brain to relax.

"Me too," she finally squeaked out. She took a few more deep breaths to try to regain some of her senses, to calm the panic. She could do this. She needed to do this.

"I think you belong here," he continued. "In New Orleans, with me."

His expression was so sincere it was hard to understand why her heart was filled with so much doubt.

"But I need to know that you want it, too. That you want me."

God, what had she—?

"I do!" she blurted. "I've wanted you from the start."