Demons of Bourbon Street
Read Demons of Bourbon Street Online
Authors: Deanna Chase
Tags: #paranormal romance, #demons, #Fantasy, #empath, #Romance, #Witches, #Contemporary, #dreamwalking, #Angels, #Paranormal, #psychic, #Fiction, #bourbon street, #General
Demons of Bourbon Street
New Orleans coven leader, Jade Calhoun, is embarking on a Hellish mission. Literally. A week ago her ex sacrificed himself to Hell in order to save Jade’s mother. While he suffers, Jade will stop at nothing to bring him home…even if it means working with Lailah, an angel she’s never trusted.
But the stakes are raised when Jade discovers her boyfriend, Kane, is marked by a demon. The very same one who tried seducing him right before Jade’s eyes. Now Kane’s life is on the line, and consequently, Jade’s soul is compromised. She’ll need all the help she can get, including Lailah’s, as she fights her way through Hell to save her ex and Kane—and her entire existence.
Demons of Bourbon Street
A Jade Calhoun Novel
Deanna Chase
www.DeannaChase.com
Bayou Moon Publishing
Copyright © 2012 by Deanna Chase
First Edition 2012
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2012917478
ISBN: 978-0-9837978-5-2 Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-9837978-6-9 ePub Version
Interior Design: The Printed Page, Phoenix, AZ
Stock art: © RA Studio — Fotolia.com
Cover photo manipulation: Kyle Crichton
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locals, business establishments, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
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Bayou Moon Publishing
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www.deannachase.com
Contents
Thank you as always to my team, Rhonda, Angie, Susan, Chauntelle, Lisa, and Cassie. Your help is appreciated more than you know. And to my amazing readers, I love you all. Thank you.
My ex-boyfriend’s childhood home loomed in front of me. Once upon a time, the sight of the old farmhouse filled my heart with joy, comfort, and even contentment. Three emotions that didn’t come easy for me. Now guilt and fear dominated.
Peering through the heavy rain, I spotted a shadow at the window. The curtains opened, revealing a portly, middle-aged woman.
I twisted to glance at Kat in the back seat of the rental car. “Dan’s mom is staring at us.”
“
Time to quit stalling then.” She unbuckled her seatbelt and grabbed the door handle.
“
Wait. Give me a second.”
“
We’ve been sitting here ten minutes.”
“
She’s right, love.” Kane reached across the seat, his broad shoulders filling the space between us. He squeezed my hand. “It’s better to get this over with.”
“
I…just need a minute.” I hadn’t seen Dan’s parents since we’d broken up almost two years ago. Mrs. Toller, who’d once thought of me as her daughter, blamed me for shredding her son’s heart. I guess he conveniently left out the part about him cheating on me. Not that I planned on telling her. Seeing her again was like using my own heart for a pincushion. Tiny little stabs, one after another.
None of that mattered now. Dan was missing because he’d sacrificed himself to save my mother from a demon. But I was going to save him, and Mrs. T’s friend was going to help.
Thunder boomed overhead in the Idaho sky.
The rain needed to stop. At least long enough for us to get onto the porch. The last thing I wanted to do was face Dan’s mom looking like a drowned rat. My faltering confidence depended on stylish hair and a dry outfit.
The familiar spark in my chest responded the second I reached for it. “Ready, Kat?”
“
I’ve been ready,” she said with a heavy air of impatience.
Magic strained to burst from my fingertips. I pushed the passenger side door open and yelled, “Halt!”
Another rumble of thunder drowned out my voice. And just when I’d decided the spell hadn’t been specific enough, the rain stopped and a sliver of sunshine peeked out from behind the clouds.
“
Hurry, the break won’t last,” I called to Kat as I jogged toward the house.
She caught up with me on the steps of the porch just as the skies opened up again, pummeling the farm.
“
Umbrellas would have been simpler.” She pressed close to the house, trying to avoid the horizontal rain.
“
I accidentally left them in Gwen’s mudroom.”
She smoothed her bright red curls and moved to the door. Before she knocked, it swung open.
“
Katrina! I’m so glad you’re here.” Dan’s mother crushed her into a hug, squeezing hard enough that my ribs ached in sympathy. She pressed her face into Kat’s shoulder as her body shook with muffled sobs.
“
Oh, Mrs. Toller. Don’t cry. We’re doing everything we can to find him,” Kat soothed.
The older woman released Kat and sniffled.
“
I’m so sorry, Mrs. T.” I grabbed her hand and squeezed.
Her lips twisted into a grimace. She tugged out of my grasp and seemed to consciously erase all emotion from her face. Too bad the disdain streaming off her prickled my skin and my heart. Sometimes being an empath sucked. Gone were the days when Mrs. T had been a stand-in mother. I’d lost her after I dumped Dan. But after all this time, I wasn’t prepared for such a personal rejection. A dull ache blossomed in my chest.
“
Jade.” She gave me a short nod then turned back to Kat. “Come in. Izzy’s waiting.”
I cast a glance at the rental car, wishing I hadn’t insisted Kane wait outside. A more sensible person would have stayed at Aunt Gwen’s, but his overprotective nature prevented him from doing anything that reasonable. I waved, hoping he could see me through the heavy rain, and followed Kat into the house.
The sound of my boots echoed off the white wood floors as I moved into the spacious living room. Nothing had changed. A rustic pine wood-framed sofa, covered in deep plum cushions, and its matching loveseat framed a stark white area rug. A floor-to-ceiling bookcase lined one wall, and a mounted five-point elk hung center stage over the stone fireplace.