Voodoo Queens of New Orleans - Vol. I | ✓

Chapter 18: Unprecedented Alliances

         

The moment we reached the safe house, the vampire hunters quickly hauled Evander out of the car. His wound had worsened; he was nearly unconscious. I was afraid that he had vampire venom inside his bloodstream.

Mama and the rest of the Coterie immediately came outside when she saw us. Her face was too far away to distinguish; I was thankful. I didn't want to see her fury just yet.

"What happened?" she asked, nearing us with the rest of the priestesses behind her.

We had to lie. We didn't know if Mama would believe it, but there was no way we were going to admit where we really went.

"We found him in the forest," Kizzy explained. Mama was close enough then—she was clearly distraught, confused and upset that we—I—had left again without her knowing exactly where I was. I wondered how long had been back for.

Jonathan and Heather didn't say anything to Mama; they didn't know what to say. This woman—this voodoo 'witch' as Midas referred to us—could save Evander's life. The wrong words exchanged could easily change that.

"You found him in the forest?" Mambo Nene asked, staring at Kizzy—her novitiate—as if she was waiting for the truth to come out. Kizzy stared on wide-eyed. My heart began to beat faster; I imagined Mama grabbing the bag in my possession and finding a vampire-killing blade inside.

Bad enough we were accompanied by a group of vampire hunters.

The Coterie was going to interrogate us further, but Mama stopped them and had House members help bring Evander inside. Kizzy and I didn't look at each other. We were scared that the wrong look, sound or even posture would tip the Coterie off; they were onto us.

Serj and Azari stayed outside as Heather, Midas and Jonathan followed the Coterie closely. Midas studied everyone—what they wore, how they walked, expecting something more from the faction. But Jonathan was more concerned with the deteriorating state of his comrade, and he made Midas carry the same mentality with just one disapproving look in his direction, making Midas retract his glare and remain expressionless.

"On the table," Missus Taima ordered. "Quickly!"

In their ceremonial clothing, the ensemble looked like a white ocean carrying Evander to the designated spot. Kizzy swept her arm across the table, knocking everything off onto the ground loudly in order to create room for the body that needed to go there. The House members set him down on the dining room table, the light illuminating the state of the bite on his neck. His skin grayed every passing moment, sleek with perspiration and blood. His chest rose faster than it fell as he fought for breath.

"How'd this happen?" Mama asked Jonathan specifically; urgently. It was as if she knew he was the group's leader.

"A Leech," he began to explain. "We were hunting them in the woods. My men thought they had eradicated the last of them until one attacked Evander before it was slain."

Mama's face fell once she knew exactly what Jonathan and his crew were. Then, she slowly turned to us—Kizzy, Rocio, Esther and I. Her eyes burned like a blue flame, disappointingly examining us until one of us would cave in and tell the truth. But none of us would; Esther tensed her body up and shut her eyes because she knew she would confess if she looked at my Mama much longer.

"Madam Dumont," Imani called out to her, "his wounds are severe. We don't have much time."

Her gaze didn't break from us for exactly ten seconds; I counted. I don't know what I was more afraid of—Mama's disappointment or Aubade in her possession. The blade was depleted, but I had some sliver of hope that there was a way to revive it for the purpose I had in mind. But if it was in Mama's possession?