Voodoo Queens of New Orleans - Vol. I | ✓

Chapter 47: Death Mission

**

I was scared to open the door.

I had my hand on the handle for a very long time, stress sweating, unable to bring myself to open it and walk into the hallway. I had to face Aza; there was no other option. But what would I say? Would I apologize?

Eventually, I mustered up the courage to open the door, but the person standing on the other side startled me; Aza. I expected her to be downstairs at the head of the dinner table, trying to rid her brain of what she saw, but frankly, she was more inclined to meet with me face to face instead of waiting until dinner was over. We met each other's eyes in an awkward fashion. I knew the image of Hezekiah fucking me from behind butt naked was burned into her memory. She looked uncomfortable, leaning against the hallway wall with her arms crossed over her chest, looking into me. I said nothing. Then I said something, then I cut myself off and remained silent.

"I really wish I didn't see that," Aza said. Her expression was teasing on a grimace, but I could tell she was refraining from showing me how disgusted and uncomfortable she really was.

"I'm sorry," I said, my head burning. "I just...it just...I -"

"Don't say nothing." Her hand was held up between us. I was taken back by this sudden change in her - this seriousness in her. "You don't need to explain yourself. I just want you to listen."

I was listening.

"I'm a lot more carefree than your mama," she began. "I'm more understanding. But one thing your mama and I can come to an agreement on is that you and Hezekiah is not a good idea, especially now."

"What do you mean? It was just sex. It didn't mean anything -"

"It always mean something," Aza interrupted, gradually becoming cross with me. "You two is a complicated situation. Very complicated. More than you can understand. And not only is it 'cause you two might have known each other way back when, but because Abraham is Hezekiah's master, Lisa. He's made this known to us several times that his loyalty will always be with Abraham, no matter what. Always. Sure, he might got you thinking that he's on our side, and he's my granddaddy, so I'm more inclined to believe him. But at the same time, I know that if we ever gain the upper hand on Abraham and he end up not finding this ritual, Hezekiah gone be right back at his side. It's in his nature; every vampire is like this. When they master call them, they got to listen.

"The relationship that Hezekiah got with Abraham dates back centuries; Abraham has let a lot that Hezekiah has done behind his back go because of how much he favor him. He think of Hezekiah as a son. There's no other bloodsucker above Hezekiah to Abraham, and Hezekiah knows that him being here with us is the ultimate betrayal. If he had to choose between us and Abraham, he would choose Abraham. And you need to understand this."

I thought back to the missing letter. I was still under the impression that Hezekiah and I having sex was his way of trying to distract me, as he had done before. This made Aza's words sting because I knew how honest she was; I knew she would never want to lead me astray. I thought about Hezekiah traveling back to Abraham and showing him the letter that Russell Van Doren had written to me.

"I do understand," I responded, but in reality, I didn't want to.

Aza was disappointed in me. I could see it. I could sense it. I was disappointed in myself for being seduced by him, and I was embarrassed that it was Aza who caught us, his granddaughter.

She nodded towards the staircase, "Come on," she said. "Let's go eat."

**

My interactions with Aza over the next few days were odd and awkward. I thought that we had gotten over what she had caught Hezekiah and I doing, but it still bothered her. I thought it probably had to do with the fact that the Council's party was fast approaching - an understandable reason for stress and detachment. But this was different - she could barely look at me.