She dropped her gaze to the black journal. Pain like that she felt five years ago when she first heard the news her beloved sister had died robbed her of breath and made her double over. Her insides hurt with the kind of pain that came from no physical source but managed to be far more crippling.
Picking up the journal, she began to cry. The pain intensified, fed by fear that she was doing something she’d regret. Adrienne opened the diary with hands that shook almost too much for her to hold it.
She lowered the pages over the candle until they caught fire. Flames devoured the dry paper. She dropped the journal.
“Good girl.” The Red Man said. “Now, you leave, before they come back to claim your body.”
She shuddered, fresh terror filling her. Adrienne gathered her tarot cards clumsily and stuffed them into her backpack.
When she looked up, the Red Man was gone and light from the hallway spilled into the attic, indicating the door at the bottom of the stairs was open.
Unwilling to believe her sister meant to kill her, even if she’d taken other lives, Adrienne stumbled down the stairs, falling more than once. She ran blindly down a second set of stairs to the main floor and darted to the front door, wrenched it open, and ran down the stairs to the sidewalk.
She stopped and looked around, wanting to scream or break down and sob. Aware her danger wasn’t passed, she wiped her eyes quickly and oriented herself. She didn’t know anything about New Orleans or even what direction Jax had driven her. How did she get home?
A flash of red came from her peripheral. She turned and saw the faint glimmer of the Red Man’s robe leading up the stairs of the neighboring house, whose windows glowed warmly with light. The glimmer faded and disappeared.
Rene’s neighbor. The woman from the clinic.
Hope surging, Adrienne raced down the path the red light had gone to the front door of Jax’s neighbor. She pounded on the door and soon heard the sounds of someone approaching the door.
Rene’s aunt opened the door and stared at her.
“Rene do that?” she demanded, taking in Adrienne’s distraught features and swollen eyes.
Adrienne shook her head, unable to help the laugh that escaped. Within seconds, it turned into crying.
“C’mon, cinnamon rolls,” the woman said. “You in time for dinner.”
“I need … phone,” Adrienne managed.
“You need food. You all skin and bones. I’ll call Rene fo’ you and you eat.”
Adrienne nodded and made herself stop crying.
The nurse was on the phone before Adrienne slid her book bag to the ground. She spoke for a moment then handed the phone to Adrienne.
“What the hell you doing there?” Rene demanded.
“Jax.” She couldn’t get out any other words and definitely couldn’t explain that the Red Man had freed her.
Silence, and then, “Don’t go nowhere. You hear me? Don’t talk to no one, don’t do shit until I’m there.”
She nodded, not caring that he couldn’t see her.
“Put my aunt on.”
Adrienne handed the phone off to the round woman waiting. She went to the window to peek out, afraid she’d find Jax on the doorstep. His motorcycle was gone. The strange flashes of light on the sidewalk in front of his home drew her attention.
With a glance at Rene’s neighbor to make sure she was still on the phone, Adrienne cracked the front door open to get a better look.
She gasped, pushing the screen door open and trotting down the stairs.
The journal fire had spread. The flickering light was from flames that filled the attic of Jax’s house. Smoke poured out of one window on the main floor.
Adrienne watched, uncertain what to feel. Sorrow deep enough to make her hold herself. It wasn’t just about losing Therese and her last belonging. It was for the sense of betrayal that had sunk into her gut the moment she felt the Red Man’s words were true.
Horror and anger mixed with the sense of loss.
What if the Red Man was right about everything? He had to claim his last victim or a prophecy foretelling death would fall upon the world, brought by Therese when she rose again. Therese, Jayden, Rene, Jax … they and their families were all connected.
Adrienne couldn’t let her sister return, even if she didn’t understand yet how to prevent it. She had to learn to listen and channel the magic of the spirits and gods – fast – and find a way to unite those who could help her: Jayden, who didn’t know who she was, and Rene, who was loyal to his brother.
Adrienne watched the flames that began to lick at the roof of the house. Scared yet resolved, she mentally urged Rene to hurry, before Jax returned.
Chapter Twenty One
Seated in the ice cream shop just off campus, Jayden was trying to determine the exact shade of Kimmie’s skin was when his phone rang. He blinked out of his stupor. He’d been unable to take his eyes – or hands – off her since Saturday night.
He glanced at his phone to see who called. If it was his mother, he’d hang up. After their last talk, he was trying to figure out if he should call her drug counselor about her strange rant or just let her work things out. Today was the day his daddy was dropping the paperwork off at court to sue her for permanent, full custody of Izzy.
Tara’s name crossed the screen.
“You can talk to her later,” Kimmie said. “We’re busy talking.”
He clicked the button to hang up on Tara and set the phone down.
“Where were we?” Kimmie asked, her smile dazzling. “I think you were telling me again how beautiful I am.”
Jayden opened his mouth to speak. His phone rang again.
Come on, Tara, just find another ride home.
He hung up.
She called right back.
“All right, she’ll drive me crazy if I don’t get this,” he said apologetically to Kimmie. “Give me a sec.” Jayden untangled his arms and legs from her in the booth where they sat practically on top of one another and walked to the lobby.
Kimmie rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, Tara,” he said, answering.
“Where are you?” she demanded.
“Hanging out with the most incredible woman on the planet.” He flashed a smile at Kimmie, who grinned.
“Ugh you’re making me sick. I need you to come get me.”
“Later. Or you know what? Find your own ride, Tara. I’m tired of driving you around,” he said. “You drove Daddy crazy until he bought you the car you wanted and now, I take you everywhere.”
“You won’t come get me?” She sounded offended.
“Nope. You’re seventeen. Act like it.”
“Okay, fine. I just got raped by a gang, and now, I’m gonna call Daddy and tell him that you refused to come pick me up because you’re too busy hanging out with Kimmie!”
“You what?”
“Oh, are you listening now?” she snapped. “I’m your family, and I need your help. You promised to always come get me.”
“Tara, did you get hurt?”
“Not yet, but if you don’t come here, now, I’m going to walk into the first gang infested alley I find.”
“You’re acting psycho, Tara,” he said, not understanding what was wrong with his stepsister. “What’s going on?”
“Just come get me before I do something stupid. I’ll text you where I am.” She hung up.