Demons of Bourbon Street (36 page)

My heart twinged. Nothing like a cryptic piece of advice to make you start doubting and worrying about your friends. I leaned into Kane, one arm around his waist and put the conversation out of my mind. “Ready?”

“
Ready.”

“
Bayou…here we come,” I said. “’Cause I have a soul to save and this time it’s mine.”

Chapter 24

Within a half hour, our caravan pulled into a small parking lot next to a metal-sided building. A faded green sign with a man straddling an alligator read,
Jean’s Alligator Tours. Don’t be afraid of shallow waters.

Kane followed me. I tried to peer through the dirt-crusted glass door. No lights shone from within, and I couldn’t sense any foreign human emotions.

“
I don’t think Jean’s in,” I said.

“
He’s here.” Lucien typed a message on his phone. A second later it buzzed with a reply. He jerked his head toward the back. “This way.”

Everyone was relatively quiet as we followed Lucien to a metal chain-link gate. He pressed a button resembling a doorbell, and an annoying buzzer went off. Lucien pushed the gate open, leading the way to the mysterious Jean.

Hidden behind the building was an old weather-worn dock with another sign that read,
Swim with the gators. $5 a head. No refunds
.

“
Funny guy,” Pyper said with a smirk.

A loud motor rumbled to life. I spun, searching for a vehicle.

“
It’s out there.” Kane pointed to the river lapping against the dock.

Sure enough, the rumble grew louder as a dented gray airboat came into view, backing up into the narrow slip to the right of the dock. The entire left side appeared to have been crushed and then smoothed out as best as possible. The crinkled metal caused the rig to list slightly to the left while floating.

I blanched. “He’s not taking us out on that, is he?”

“
No.” Lucien chuckled.

“
Oh, good.” I sighed in relief.

“
We’re going by ourselves.”

I turned to Kane, giving him a look of despair. He sent me a sympathetic smile and draped his arm around my shoulder, tucking me close.

“
Geez, Lucien. Could you have found a bigger piece of floating garbage?” Pyper yelled over the growing noise.

Another airboat glided into view. Remnants of blue paint peeked through the cancerous rust claiming its hull. If possible, the second one appeared even more unseaworthy. I imagined one tiny collision would crumple the decaying metal.

Lucien turned his back on the boats and glared at us. “Save your snark for later. Unless you want an angry Cajun tossing you in the bayou.”

Pyper raised a skeptical eyebrow, but kept silent.

The engines died with a rough sputter and a middle-aged, paunchy, dark-haired man with crooked teeth jumped onto the dock. He lumbered his way over and held a hand out to Lucien. “My boy! Ah haven’ seen ya since dat crawfish ball at Nannak’s.”

Lucien smiled and pumped his hand. “It’s been too long.”

“
Yous been hiden up in da city. You come to my ohm de next Friday for shrimps. Ya?”

“
I’d love to. Thanks for the invite.” Lucien waved in our direction. “Uncle Pete, I’d like to introduce you to my friends.”

Each of us shook Uncle Pete’s unnervingly strong grip, thanking him for his help.

“
De boats, dey are ready.” He handed Lucien two sets of keys. “Take care of dem.” Uncle Pete said a few more words to Lucien and then he and his helper disappeared into the metal building.

“
That sweet man would throw me in the bayou?” Pyper laughed. “Right.”

Lucien handed a set of keys to Ian before focusing on Pyper. “I’ve heard rumors Pete has connections with the Family. Don’t make the mistake of underestimating him. He’s a hard-core Cajun, been living off the bayou since he was a boy. You don’t survive that kind of existence without some notoriety.”

“
The Family?” Pyper lowered her voice. “As in, the mob?”

Lucien ignored her and climbed onto the dented gray boat.

“
Shit.” Pyper glanced back at the building.

Lucien’s lips twitched as if he was trying not to laugh.

I rolled my eyes. “Can we get started now?”

“
Hold on.” Mom pulled me to the side. “I want you to wear this.” She unclasped the bead I’d given her and secured it around my neck. “You need this more than I do.”

I fingered the smooth glass and opened my mouth to protest, but she cut me off.

“
I added my own form of protection. Do your mom a favor and don’t argue.” She clasped my hands, warming them with her touch.

My eyes misted. I nodded. “Okay.”

“
That’s my girl.” She gave me a kiss on the cheek and followed Ian, Pyper, and Kat onto the rusted boat. Kane, Lucien, Lailah, and I took the gray one.

Ian tossed me a two-way radio. “This way we can keep in touch with any sightings and our whereabouts.”

“
Are you sure you’re up for this?” Lucien asked him. “The bayou can be a dangerous place. And I don’t just mean the terrain and the wildlife. A lot of the land is privately owned, and people around here don’t take well to trespassers.”

“
I’m aware. My grandfather had a place out here.”

Lucien saluted him and fired up the airboat.

I nearly jumped out of my seat. The vibration, along with the ear-splitting noise, set my teeth on edge. How could we sneak up on a cabin with all this commotion?

After a few false starts, Ian finally got his rust trap going. Before he glided out into the open river, Lucien gestured for him to wait and climbed back onto the dock. Lailah joined him.

Kane and I cast Lucien questioning glances, but we were ignored.

The pair walked in a tight circle, their lips moving in what appeared to be a chant, but I couldn’t hear anything over the roar of the engines. Power started to build, and through my connection to Lucien as his coven leader, a small ball of magic pulsed inside me, making me itch with anticipation.

Lailah threw her head back, arms stretched wide. A white light materialized around her. Lucien mimicked her movements. The light spread to encompass him. I gasped as power exploded from my center. My head spun, and I clung to Kane to keep from falling out of my chair. Holy shit balls. They could have warned me.

The magic around them shot straight up and covered both boats in a dome formation. The engine noise faded to a low rumble. Lucien and Lailah stepped back on the boat.

Lailah smiled. “Better?”

“
Sure. If I didn’t feel like you stole every last bit of my energy,” I grumbled.

She frowned. “What?”

“
I’m the coven leader, remember? You two just worked some sort of powerful spell and now I need another pill, or a chocolate bar.”

Lucien stopped fiddling with the dock ropes. “Jade, the spell was a simple one. With Lailah and me casting it, you shouldn’t have felt anything.”

“
Well, something went wrong then, ’cause the spell used a big portion of the magic I’d been storing up.” I leaned against Kane for support, fighting the panic growing in my belly. “I’m going to barely have a spark left when we find them.”

Lailah moved to my side. She placed a hand on my arm and frowned. “Your defenses are too weak.” She turned to Lucien. “She shouldn’t be going with us. In this state Meri will have no problem claiming her soul.”

“
No!” I stood on wobbly legs. “It’ll only get worse if we wait. I’m not backing out now. Lucien, get this boat in the open water and follow Ian before he disappears.”

Since I was the coven leader, Lucien had little choice but to follow my orders. A moment later the boat glided away from the slip, rolling with the gentle waters of the river. The cool morning air carried the aroma of cypress trees and dense moss.

“
At least let me transfer some energy to you.” Lailah’s face pinched in worry.

“
Uh…” It was something I was prepared to do with Kat, my best friend, the one who was always there for me in such situations. But Lailah? I clamped my jaw together and sucked air through my teeth. “I don’t know.”

“
Relax.” She grabbed both of my arms and, even though I’m certain she was not at all authorized to do such a thing, she started pushing her clean energy into my being.

Pure bliss. I closed my eyes and soaked the energy in as every last nerve ending came to life.
Good Goddess, is this what angels felt like all the time?
I’d trade places with her in a heartbeat if I could and ask God to strike me down if I ever complained about anything. I was ready to take on the world.

Lailah tried to let go, but I clamped a hand on her arm. “Not yet.” The sensation was too good to abandon.

“
Jade!” She shook me off. “You greedy witch! You’ll drain me. Then where will we be?”

I sat up straight in my chair and pushed my wind whipped hair out of my eyes. I blinked. Everyone stared at me with concern and shock radiating from them.

Kane put an arm around my shoulder. “You okay?”

I nodded. Holy Jesus. I’d been drunk on Lailah’s energy. Is that what people felt when I sent an energy boost?

“
No, it isn’t,” Lailah said, reading my mind. When had our mental connection come back? With the energy transfer? “They only get a trickle from you. They don’t know how to seize your energy and suck you dry.” She scowled. “Like you just did.”

Oh, shit. I grimaced. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

“
Next time have better manners.” She dug around in her pack, pulled out an energy-enhanced pill, and washed it down with water from a plastic bottle.

I leaned back in my seat, guilt eating away at my restored strength. I had to get myself together. Time to focus. A deteriorating white camp house was out there somewhere, with an angel and an ex-demon who had some explaining to do.

“
How long until we get to Cajun Cove?” I asked Lucien.

“
About thirty minutes.”

“
Okay.” I pulled a notebook out of my backpack and paid attention to the surroundings. The trees had started to lose their leaves. Stumps from long-dead Cypress trees lined the edges of the bayou. Large dragonflies buzzed overhead, and a hawk screeched and flew off in the opposite direction.