Shadows (Bayou Magic 1)

“I assumed he was just throwing all of the bodies into the swamp,” Cash adds. “That would make sense. But he wasn’t. He stored many of them right there in the house.”

I cover my mouth with my hands, staring at Cash in horror. “Oh, my goddess.”

“We’re going to put a stop to all of this,” Sophia assures us all. “But we have to work together. He’s too strong for the three sisters to do it alone, and the six aren’t ready.”

“What six?” Cash asks.

“Not ready,” Sophia repeats, putting an end to the discussion.

“We have to burn it all,” I say to Cash. “The house, the body, that book. Everything. Under the full moon.”

“And when is the full moon?” Cash asks.

“Tomorrow night.”

“Handy,” Andy says with a grin. “We can just get it all done and over with.”

“Even more reason for me to get over there and meet Asher so those bodies can be taken out and given proper burials.”

“He’s right,” Sophia says. “He’s safe from the evil there. We’ve made it so. And we have plenty of work to do to get ready for tomorrow night.”

I nod, take Cash’s hand in mine, and lead him out the door and to his car.

“I need you to wear this.” I take off my necklace and loop it over his head. “Don’t take it off. It’ll protect you.”

“You need it,” he says.

“Not here, I don’t. I’m safer here than anywhere else in the world. You take it. Promise me you won’t take it off.”

“I promise.” He leans in and presses his lips gently to mine. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

“No. I’m scared, and I’m worried. As long as you stay safe, I’ll be okay.”

“That’s my line,” he says against my lips. “Just keep thinking about that day in bed. I’m going to cash in on that very soon.”

“See that you do.”

I love you.

I want to tell him now more than ever. So, I lean close and press my lips to his ear.

“I love you more than anything, Cassien Winslow. Please stay safe tonight.”

I could feel he was about to pull away, but instead, he tugs me hard against him, crushing me in a hug. “You can’t get rid of me so easily. Love like this doesn’t come along very often.”

He kisses my forehead, and then he and Andy are gone, headed back to the house that chills me to the bone.

“Come on, child,” Sophia says from behind me. She doesn’t startle me; I felt her approach. “Let’s get to work.”

“He didn’t exactly say it back to me,” I remark as we climb the stairs.

“If you can’t see the love in his eyes when he looks at you, you’re as blind as Stevie Wonder, my sweet girl.”“It’s time.”

I turn to see my sisters waiting for me on the threshold of the guest room at Miss Sophia’s house. We all worked well into the night. All of the others went home to rest, leaving just the three of us with Miss Sophia.

She wanted to keep us here last night, to protect and watch over us.

I nod and swallow hard. I’m not nearly as nervous as I was last night. Somewhere around three in the morning, a calm washed over me, leaving me feeling confident and secure in the knowledge that although tonight will be a fight, we will win.

Everything will be okay.

I have to believe that.

“Have you heard from Cash?” Daphne asks as we walk into the kitchen and drink the potions Miss Sophia set out for us.

“Yes, he’s meeting us over there. They got that basement room cleared out early this morning, and we’ve been given full ownership as of about an hour ago.”

“And the body?”

“It’ll be there,” I confirm.

Miss Sophia left before us, so the three of us drive to Horace’s house together. I don’t even glance down the road to Mama’s. I’ve barely spared her a thought since all of this began.

We pull in behind another car and get out. The building is already surrounded by all of the witches that were at Miss Sophia’s house throughout the night, along with others I don’t know.

“She called in reinforcements,” I mutter.

“There can be no mistakes on this one,” Miss Sophia says as she joins us. “I need a word with just the three of you before we begin.”

“What’s wrong?”

She looks worried. “I shouldn’t tell you this. Giving you information about what’s to come isn’t safe and isn’t what I normally do. But I also don’t want to give you false hope. What we do here today is important and will extinguish this evil one’s light for a while.”

We glance at each other.

“For a while?” I ask.

“Yes. His spirit is stronger than any other I’ve seen. His will is unmatched. So, yes, we will break him here today, but in order for it to be permanent, there will be steps that can’t be taken at this time. That’s all I can tell you.”