Voodoo Queens of New Orleans - Vol. I | ✓

Chapter 16: To Finish The Job

**

Sasi One was quick to ambush us the moment we rushed out of Sajida's lair.

"Leaving so soon?" she asked, following us close to the door.

"We've overstayed our welcome," Kizzy told them, already opening the door. "We thank you for your hospitality."

"It is no problem! We hope that you come to us again!"

"Yes," Sasi Two added, "please come back soon!"

"We will," Rocio lied. We walked out into the damp night, the bayou still blanketed in mist. The Gatekeeper was waiting for us at the dock, standing in his pirogue, lantern illuminating the shadows of his body. We weren't hesitant to get in like we were the first time; we were eager to get away from Sajida the Shunned, even though the deal was set in stone - my gris-gris for Aubade.

My gris-gris for our lives.

We were silent the journey back to the bayou's edge. As before, the Gatekeeper let us off at the drop-off, making us jump out and trudge through the water. We didn't look back. We kept moving forward into the forest at a fast, exhausting pace. Deep into the woods, between the trees silhouetted against the moonlit sky, Rocio finally let me have it.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she growled at me. We all stopped, Esther and Kizzy standing back as Rocio got close to my face. Esther was still quiet; traumatized from Sajida's wrath.

"What?"

"Sleeping with Hezekiah? Are you crazy?"

I knew that was gonna bite me deep in the ass. And it did. Sajida exposed me and my countless list of mistakes, but now, Rocio thought it would be a good idea to confront me about it. I didn't know how to respond to her. Frankly, what Hezekiah and I did was far from an explanation.

"We didn't sleep together," I replied. I wasn't lying, but it wasn't the whole truth.

"Oh really? But you guys touched each other? That's it?"

"Listen, Rocio -"

"No, you listen to me," she said angrily. "It's one thing to be dumb enough to let a vampire inside the house, but to let one in only so you could get some? How could you even let that monster put his hands on you?"

"It wasn't like that!" I pleaded. It wasn't, to my defense - we returned what belonged to each other, Hezekiah apologizing shortly after. But that was supposed to be all that his invitation initiated. Not what came after; that was pure deception, lust on my end.

Rocio didn't believe me. "Look. I have the most profound respect for your mother. But you? You are something else. You come down here and in a matter of weeks, everything starts falling apart!"

I wanted to defend myself somehow. I wanted to tell Rocio that Tia's death - the catalyst - would have happened with or without my presence in New Orleans. But that didn't dismiss the fact that I was still at fault - A fault I didn't want to accept. So, I let the tears pool and convinced myself that I wasn't solely to blame.

"Rocio." Kizzy grabbed Rocio's hand, but she pulled away from her, her eyes still on me like a cheetah eyeing their prey. I thought that Aubade would be the key to forgiveness, but it still sat in Kizzy's bag, oblivious to Rocio.

"I think you'd be doing us all a favor if you just went back to Houston. But you can't, because it's 'too dangerous' for you to leave." Rocio laughed, but the situation was anything but funny. "So, now we're stuck with you. What's next, Lisa? Inviting Abraham inside to kill us in our sleep? Or maybe, just maybe, you'll ask Sajida for help again without bringing anything to trade!"