“What is this place?”
“This is where I host witches who need a place to stay.” She walked to the back and pushed a door with her finger. The door swung open.
She pulled out a few things and set them on the table in front of me.
I was in awe of everything in there. It was a witch’s dream. It had every potion already made. Ingredients for many other potions were lining the walls.
“Write her name down on this,” she said handing me a piece of paper.
I nodded and did she what she asked.
My hand shook as I wrote. I handed it back to her, and she tossed it into the bowl on the table.
A fire filled the bowl and died down moments later. On another piece of paper right next to the bowl, she read: “2591 Prescot street.” “That’s where she’s at?”
“That’s where this is leading you to. If she’s there, I don’t know, but it’s a place to start.”
I nodded. “Thank you!”
I rushed out of the small apartment and back to the street.
I thought about running there by myself, but I wasn’t sure what I was about to walk into.
I headed back to the house where Theo and Colt were still at.
“Where did you go?” Theo asked hanging up his phone as I walked through the front door.
“I went for help. I have a starting point. Are you two coming or am I going alone?”
“Let’s go,” Colt said.
“Wait a second. We can’t just run into an unknown,” Theo said.
“You can’t. I will. She’s my sister, and I’m determined to get her back safely.”
Theo stood there.
“Come or don’t, but I’m going regardless.”
I turned and headed back out the front door.
Colt and Theo were right behind me.
I told them the address, and we got into the car and headed out of the busy streets onto less crowded areas of New Orleans.
“This could be a trap you know.” Theo sighed as he drove down the road.
“I know. But if I don’t do everything I can, then I’m not the person I thought I was. Plus, she’s my sister. I love her.”
Theo pulled up just a few houses away from the address.
“It looks so...normal.” I sighed.
“Yeah, well most kidnappers are.”
“I’ll go check it out,” I said.
“Are you nuts? No. We’ll call the authorities and let them handle this,” Theo said.
“This isn’t a human thing! It’s a magical thing! And if it is her father, then the one person he could want is me. So, I’m going.”
I got out of the car and headed toward the house. There was no way I was going to let some joker who thought he was right to hurt my family. Not after everything we’ve learned and fought for. I promised my mother years ago I would protect Lela, and I wasn’t about to let her down then. Not to a monster, and most definitely not to a man that we all trusted. I could feel the heat building inside me, and I knew I was about to be a ball of fire, one that was determined to destroy anything in my path. I fought the urge to move my hands from my sides because I knew if I did, something bad could happen to an innocent person or animal.
I knocked on the door. Nothing.
I knocked again a little harder. Still nothing. All I heard were dogs in the distance barking and cars going down the street a few streets over.
I turned to leave and noticed an envelope on the chair on the porch.
It had my name on it. That’s how I knew I was in the right place.
I turned back toward the house as I opened the letter.
I bet you are wondering quite a few things at this moment. Number one is probably where your sister is. Don’t worry; she’s safe, but not for long. I never thought I would ever be possessed to kill my own daughter, but if I’m going to save the world, I can sacrifice one person.
Meet tonight at seven just outside of town. There is an abandoned farm just off of Lawrence Road. There is no reason to keep bringing the good people of New Orleans down with our issues. Lela will be safe until then. If you don’t show, I can’t make any promises.
I crumbled up the letter and looked at the house. I wanted to break the door down, but who knew who lived there. I know it wasn’t him.
I backed up and walked back to the car where both guys stood in front of it.
“Well?” Colt asked.
“She’s not there. Or at least I don’t think so. I did get a letter. He has her and plans to kill her tonight if I don’t show up.”
“Let’s go now,” Colt exclaimed.
“We can’t just go now. I need to get Roderick. He’s going to come with me because I’m going to need all of the fire power I can get.”
We went back to the house, but I was restless all day. I paced the house, I barely wanted to eat or drink. I was terrified.
I STOOD OUTSIDE THE car looking at the abandoned home and barn. If it wasn’t such a shit situation, it would be an awesome place to fix up.
“Kass!” Lela screamed.
I pushed myself off the car and looked around.
Then I saw her. Being held by one man while her father, Tim, walked toward me.
I felt Theo, Colt, and Roderick get closer to me.
“Let me go first. I need you guys to keep an eye on her for me,” I said holding my hand off to the side as I took a couple steps forward.
“Tim,” I noted when we got close enough to talk without yelling.
“Kassandra,” he replied.
“Why would you kidnap your own daughter? Don’t you give a shit about her life at all?” I asked.
“Of course I do. But I needed to get to you. She’s the only way I know how.”
“What do you want with me?”
“Your life. See I always knew you weren’t mine. Your mother never hid that fact. But what I didn’t know was that you were part demon. At least not until you and Lela showed up asking about the tattoo on your body.”
I looked down at my arm that had some of the tattoo on it.
“I called a friend and he confirmed it. It’s demonic.”
I nodded. “I gathered that.”
“Then we did some more digging and found out who your father is.”
I nodded again. “The king of Hell. Yeah, we already know all this. Skip this part.”
“You can’t take his spot. His line needs to end with you.”
“You realize if you kill me, he’ll just stay on as the king.”
He laughed. “Guess you don’t know everything. He’s not staying on as king. He’s killing himself, so he can spend the rest of eternity with your mother in another world. It’s part of his deal. He steps down, and he and your mother can go live happy in another world.”
My head snapped around to look at Roderick.
His head hung.
I looked back at Tim.
“That doesn’t change anything. I’m still taking that spot. And you will let Lela go.”
“Do you really think you will be able to stop me?”
I shrugged. “I guess we won’t know until I try, huh?”
I let the anger build up inside of me again. I thought about Roderick lying to me, and about all of the people I’ve trusted like Tim who have done nothing but disappoint me. It was a funny feeling to feel my blood literally boiling inside of me. Almost like my insides were popping like the Pop Rocks candy.