Spells (Bayou Magic 2)

“Honey, I’m just so happy to be here, it all sounds good to me. You go take care of your mama. Esme and I will be just fine right here.”

“Thank you.” Lucien takes my hand and kisses my knuckles. “I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

We walk outside, but rather than leading me to his car, Lucien points across the street.

“Do you mind if we check in on Dahlia? I texted her the other day and haven’t heard back.”

“Of course.”

We cross the street, and before we can open the door, Dahlia opens it herself and then jumps when she sees us. “Oh, hi, guys. You startled me.”

“Are you closing for the day?” I ask.

“Yeah, traffic’s slow, I’m caught up on orders, and I thought I’d take the rest of the day to run a couple of errands. My damn phone fell and busted. I have to replace it.”

“I was going to ask why I haven’t heard back from you,” Lucien says.

“That would be why. I’m a klutz. Sorry about that. But I should have a shiny new one later today. Did you need something specific?”

“I called to invite you out to Miss Sophia’s place with us yesterday. We thought it would be a good learning experience for you.”

“Well, damn it. Next time for sure.”

“We won’t keep you then,” I say. “Have a good day, Dahlia.”

“You guys, too!”* * *“I can’t let you in,” the security guard says. “The doctor has put a no-guest block on your mother’s chart.”

“I’d like to speak with the doctor,” I reply. My sisters, Cash, and Lucien are with me. “He knew I was coming today to check on her.”

“I’ll see if I can reach someone.” He picks up a phone. Less than five minutes later, the doctor is down at reception, a look of pure male stubbornness on his wrinkled face.

“I’m sorry, everyone. Miss Ruth is still very tired and not up for guests today.”

“I am going to see my mother today,” I reply. Cash pats my shoulder and steps forward, his badge out.

“Unless you want me to bring a whole slew of legal issues into your hospital, you’re going to let us up to see our family member. In her room. Alone. We have a right to be with her.”

The doctor’s nose flares in frustration, but finally, he nods at the security guard and walks away without another word. We’re cleared through the metal detector and led up to Mama’s floor.

I’ve never been in her room. She’s usually in the communal area when we come to visit. When we walk through the door of room 636, I have to take a moment to breathe so I don’t throw up.

“What in the actual fuck?” I ask.

There’s nothing in the room except for a bed. And Mama’s currently shackled to it, her hands and feet buckled into restraints.

“Who the fuck’r you?”

The voice isn’t Mama’s. It’s deep and hoarse, and the way she’s thrashing on the bed isn’t human. Her moans are guttural as if she’s snarling at us.

“We need to get this potion in her,” Brielle says and then swallows hard.

“Oh my goddess,” is all Daphne can say.

“Focus,” Lucien directs, his voice calm but firm. “Let’s begin the spell. Follow Millie and me. When we’re finished, I’ll get the potion in her mouth.”

We gather around the bed. Lucien opens the window at his back, and with our hands clasped and a quick circle cast, we begin the chant.

This only angers the beast more. It shrieks and jerks, almost violently enough to break the chains.

The wind swirls around us as we finish the spell, and Lucien takes the potion from his pocket and holds Mama’s mouth open as he pours the liquid inside.

The shrieking stops for just a split second, and then roars to life once more, as if the entity is in pain. Mama’s back arches off the bed, and a gray shadow pours from her open mouth. It flies through the room and then leaves out the open window.

Lucien slams the window shut, and the room settles. Mama’s lying still on the bed now, her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths.

“Mama?” Brielle says, brushing the sweaty hair off our mother’s face. “Mama, are you there?”

“So sorry,” Mama whispers weakly. “Shouldn’t listen.”

“Who shouldn’t you listen to, Mama?” Daphne asks.

“Shouldn’t trust.”

“Mama, it’s okay now. It’s gone. And we cast one hell of a strong protection spell. You’re going to be so much better now. So much safer.”

“Not safe anywhere,” she murmurs and then falls to sleep.

“I’m going to get a nurse,” Brielle says and hurries out of the room. When she returns, she has two nurses in tow.

“She was possessed,” I inform them. “You don’t have to believe me.”

“Oh, honey, I believe you,” the older of the two insists. “When you’ve seen the things we have in this place, you know that literally anything is possible.”