Shadows (Bayou Magic 1)

“Likewise.”

I’m introduced to other men and women of different ages and races, and then I finally sit by Daphne and let out a sigh.

“It’s a lot to take in,” Daphne says with a nod.

“Am I sitting in the middle of a coven?”

Daphne grins. “Several, actually. Don’t look so surprised. This is Louisiana. There are a lot of people here.”

“And a lot of witches, apparently.”

“That, too,” she agrees. “Millie’s over there with a woman named Harmony, still poring through our grandmother’s book.”

“Why is it taking so long?”

“Because a good chunk of it is written in languages we don’t understand,” Daphne explains. “But Harmony does, so she’s helping Millie.”

“Who’s the guy on the opposite side of the table? He looks…angry.”

“That’s Lucien. He’s not angry, he’s brooding. He’s a brilliant warlock. He’s only thirty-five but has the wisdom of an old man who’s been studying his whole life. Magic comes naturally to him, but then again, it should. His family has been in the lifestyle for hundreds of years.”

“Interesting.” I watch as Lucien glances up from the book in front of him and takes a couple of seconds to study Millie, and then, as if he catches himself, he looks back down at the pages on the table. “He has a thing for Millie.”

“Oh, absolutely,” Daphne agrees, nodding. “He’s for her. She won’t admit it, though.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we tend to be stubborn women.”

I chuckle and shrug a shoulder. “I will admit to no such thing.”

“Smart man.” She laughs as she watches her sister and Lucien. “They’ll figure it out when the time is right.”

“Now you sound like your sister.”

“What a lovely compliment.” She pats my arm. “I like you, Cash. And I like you even better for my sister. Speaking of which, I’d better see what she and Miss Sophia have cooking over there.”

She stands and leaves me, and I watch her cross the room to Brielle and Miss Sophia. They’re not just cooking up ideas, they’re literally cooking in the kitchen.

I glance around the room again and realize that I don’t have anything to offer these people in way of help. At least, not right now.

And I’m antsy.

And more than a little angry.

It’s in my nature—and training—to investigate. So, that’s what I’ll do.

“Brielle,” I say as I approach her. “I’m going to call Andy and see if he can go over the crime scene with me tonight.”

“Tonight?” She turns and stares up at me as if I’m nuts. In fact, the whole room has gone quiet. “But it’s almost midnight. It’s dark.”

“Andy will be with me,” I remind her. “No one is there, Brielle. Aside from some wildlife, there’s nothing there that can harm us.”

“But, I—”

“Let him go,” Miss Sophia says, watching me. “But please, take these. And ask your brother to drink his. It’ll protect you both.”

She passes me two bottles, cold from the fridge. I don’t even ask what’s in them.

I’ve learned to just do as asked without asking questions. And, most of the time, it’s delicious anyway.

“Please be careful.” Brielle clings to me. “Be very careful.”

“We’ll be back here before you know it.” I kiss her hair. “I have to do something while y’all work. I have to work.”

“I know.” She smiles bravely. “It’s fine. Everything’s going to be fine.”

“You’ll be safe,” Sophia assures us all. “Please return here when you’re done. And bring Andy with you. I’ll cleanse you both.”

Once again, I don’t ask questions. “Yes, ma’am.”“What in the hell are we doing out here in the dark?” Andy demands as we get out of our cars and meet at the porch. The light is on. The last investigators out here must have left it on.

“I want to do some digging,” I reply simply. “And I didn’t want to do it by myself.”

“It’s creepy as fuck out here,” my brother grumbles as I slice through the police tape over the front entrance with my pocketknife and open the door. I flick on the lights inside.

“You’ve seen way creepier than this,” I assure him as we slip inside, and I shut the door behind us.

“Uh, I don’t think so. I don’t spend much time in the bayou. Especially at night.”

“So, the bastard’s dead, but he’s not gone.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means his spirit is still dicking with my girl, and it’s pissing me the hell off. Brielle and her sisters are currently with the rest of their witchy friends, trying to find an answer to the billion-dollar question of how to get him gone for good.”

“And you decided to bring me out here.”

“I wanted to look around, yes. Maybe there’s something here the investigators missed.”

“It looks like they took everything,” Andy says, looking around the small cabin. He’s right, it doesn’t look anything like it did last week when we were here. Even the furniture is gone, most likely taken into evidence.