The Bloodied Sky Over New Orleans

CHAPTER 3.

Mary Dumas, required a meeting with Hayley in order to talk about the wedding.

The wind blew violently as Hayley walked down into the far side of the bayou, where the Crescent territory was. Something felt odd and out of place, and Hayley could not place it. Why would Mary out of all the people want to meet her? The question kept ringing in her mind, mixed with the odd feeling in her gut that was telling her to run for the hills, but she remembered her Dad telling her she was a Labonair, and a Labonair does not run. And after all, she was already betrothed to Jackson, a Man she didn't love nor did she respect, what else could happen. Coming up the cabin in the ass end of nowhere, Hayley gently knocked on the door, feeling the cold temperature outside slowly getting to her, contributing to her fool mood.

Mary opened the door with what should have been a friendly smile but Hayley could read in her eyes, something was very off. Yet she made her way inside finally getting out of the cold wind.

"Welcome sweet child of mine. How are you doing?"

Hayley mastered a smile to hide the feeling of wariness and the wind outside seemed to be doing the same. Slowing it's blow, yet becoming colder. Mary picked up on that, realising the weather was Hayley's doing. Her lack of control was creating a cold wind as a barrier between Hayley and those who she was frightened of, so the old Woman decided to make some small talk, "Tell me, how are you doing?"

"I'm not here to have small awkward talk, spill the beans," Hayley snapped suddenly rising the wind that was still cold, just as she was.

"You need to regain control before we talk," Mary demanded,  At this the young woman simply scoffed. Taking the hint Mary decided to put away her fears and thought of a way to approach the point, "Hayley, you realise this marriage is something our people have longed for a very long time. You are one of a kind, the first hybrid who upon her transition would not lose her magic,"

Hayley stood tensed, slightly lifting herself from the stool she was sitting on.

"You are the true saviour to our people," Mary professed like a preacher on a pulpit. 

"Well so I've been told ever since I was born," Hayley mocked, it was all she had heard for years.

"You are unique Hayley, you didn't only inherit your Mother's magic, you also became the first descendant of the Hallow and carry the werewolf gene from your Father." And Hayley slowly started understanding where this conversation might be going but she really hoped it wouldn't.

"You are a full witch, an advantage to your Mother's people but you have also to remember about your Father's people."

"No," Hayley shook her head frantically. "If you are asking me to transition before marrying my answer is no. I don't want to live with the life of an innocent on my hands Mary. Not yet."

"We cannot prioritise the witches Hayley, you should understand. With your werewolf gene untapped they are dominant in this marriage. You have to be both, either way you would be choosing sides."

"I don't have a choice! Do you hear me, I never got a choice. I was born a witch, there was no turning back to that but if I chose to not trigger my curse you have to accept it!" It was only then that Hayley noticed the frightened look on the woman's face. The trees shook violently as the wind blew.

"Hayley please calm down, triggering your curse will finally allow you to be every single part of yourself and-"

"It's up to me to choose what I wanna be," Hayley rose from her seat and walked closer to the old woman, some animalistic impulse making her want to ring that wrinkled neck and cut off her airways until her vocal cords were crushed. "I'll tell you what Mary, this marriage was meant to bring peace, yet, you seem to be frightened by my witch part, I guess that you have since the very beginning, so what brought you to arrange this charade in the first place...power perhaps?"