Cursed (31 page)

“What? You couldn’t wash your uniform?” Kimmie asked with a snort.

Adrienne ignored her. “I wanted to ask you something.”

“You’re off the team. Sent you an email.”

“It’s not about that.”

“What?”

Adrienne realized she was still holding onto the dog tags. She dropped her hand and drew a deep breath.

“I’d like for you to release the hex you put on me,” Adrienne said quietly. “You made your point Friday.”

Kimmie didn’t respond for a moment, gaze on Adrienne’s chest.

Adrienne glanced down at the dog tags.

“Where did you get those?” Kimmie asked.

“None of your business. I came to talk to you about the curse.”

“Did you steal those from Jayden?”

“Steal? No. Look, Kimmie, can you just –“

“Those don’t belong to you.” Kimmie reached for the tags.

Adrienne slapped her hand away, anger growing. “They were a gift.”

“Jay would never …” Kimmie stopped, her face flushing. She stretched for the necklace again.

Adrienne shoved her this time and then tucked the tags into her shirt.

Kimmie’s gaze flew up to hers. “Give me the tags, and I’ll lift the curse.”

Surprised, Adrienne hesitated. What did Kimmie want with Jayden’s dog tags?

“They don’t belong to someone like you.”

The tags had no value and weren’t exactly fashionable, like the jewelry Kimmie wore. Adrienne couldn’t see the bitchy girl wearing them. Why did she want them, if not to wear them?

Jayden claimed there was a protective spell on them.

“You know what these are, don’t you?” Adrienne asked, frowning.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. As far as I’m concerned, you stole something of Jayden’s, and I intend to get it back!”

“These tags have a protective spell on them. Which means you can’t drop another curse on me,” Adrienne said. “Is that it? You want to do something even worse to me?”

“You’ll be out of the school in a week. The curse I put on your voice will take it away. Forever!” Kimmie snapped. “No, I won’t lift it, unless you give me those tags.”

The deal sounded appealing, especially after seeing Jayden betray her. Adrienne’s instincts were at a roar. She didn’t understand why, but she knew she couldn’t give Kimmie the necklace.

“You realize every curse you put on someone comes back on you threefold, don’t you?” Adrienne asked. “What you did to me will be kind compared to what will happen to you.”

Emotion rippled across Kimmie’s face.

“Your
bokor
didn’t tell you,” Adrienne guessed. “It’s how black magic works. If you ask a favor of the gods and use their magic to hurt someone, you will pay a price three times what you did to another.”

“No. You’re just trying to manipulate me.” Kimmie snatched something from her locker and slammed it. “It won’t work! I’m not giving you your voice back, Swamp Girl, and I’m never letting go of Jayden!” She brushed by Adrienne.

Adrienne turned to watch her.

More snickering and calls of “Swamp Girl” went up around her.

Any remaining hope she possessed fled, and tears filled her eyes. Her emotions exploded.

She ran, this time with the intention of never going back.

“Adrienne!”

Wanting nothing to do with anyone at the school, Adrienne ignored Tara and kept running. She didn’t stop until she reached the edge of campus then bent over, gasping.

“Jesus, you’re … fast!” Tara said, stopping beside her. “You ever run track?”

Adrienne shook her head and straightened. She wiped away the tears on her cheeks. She wanted to run more but couldn’t catch her breath. Every time she thought of Jayden, she wanted to cry and could barely breathe, because her chest was so tight.

“What do you want?” she demanded, facing Tara. “I’m not coming back, so if you want to call me Swamp Girl or –”

“No, no,” Tara said, rolling her eyes. She straightened out her clothing and touched her eyes delicately to fix her makeup. “Alright. Where are we going?”

“We? Nowhere!” Adrienne whirled and began walking. “I’m going back to
Atlanta
.”

“Did you even read my email?”

“No.”

“Omigod. What is wrong with everyone?” Tara complained. “I marked it urgent.”

“I really don’t care.”

“I’m trying to help Jayden.”

“He can go to hell!”

“You’re acting like my eight year old sisters. Just … wait a minute, Addy.” Tara took her arm to stop her.

Adrienne pulled away but didn’t move. “What?”

“If you’d read the email” Tara started “you wouldn’t have freaked out. I asked you about the curse stuff because I think Kimmie did something to Jay. He asked me Friday to watch out for you, which I totally failed at. When I talked to him yesterday, he had no idea who you were and wouldn’t shut up about how pretty Kimmie is.”

Adrienne listened suspiciously, uncertain if she could trust anyone at the school ever again.

“I thought it was weird. But what you said this morning makes sense. Kimmie cursed you then she did something to Jayden to make him fall in love with her,” Tara continued. “Right? I mean, it’s possible?”

“Possible, yes,” Adrienne allowed.

“He wouldn’t give you hundred year old dog tags if he didn’t like you,” Tara pointed out, eyes on the necklace on Adrienne’s chest. “I know he liked you, Addy. Even if he didn’t, he doesn’t even know who you are. Like even your name. It’s unnatural.”

Adrienne thought for a moment, not wanting to agree with Tara. She was hurting. She wanted to be angry enough to pack her things and go back to New Orleans, to leave the mysteries of her sister and the dead woman behind her.

To leave Jayden and how beautiful he made her feel behind her.

“So what do you want from me?” Adrienne asked.

“I want you to help me fix him. I mean, he’s totally not helping me with our sisters. He blew off their soccer game yesterday to hang out with Kimmie and didn’t even help me get them to bed. He’s talking about going out with Kimmie every day this week and of course to Homecoming. I mean, I kinda have a life, too. I can’t –”

“Homecoming?” Adrienne echoed. “He’s standing up Emma?”

“That was real?”

Adrienne let out an exasperated sigh and began walking.

“Wow. Then yes, he’s going to stand up Emma,” Tara said, joining her.

Adrienne glanced at the gorgeous girl, wishing she’d take the hint and leave her alone with her misery.

“Since you have uh, superstitious roots, I thought you could help me with Jay,” Tara said.

“Why should I? Y’all have made my life a living hell!”

“Because you like him.”

“Not anymore.”

“Whatever. I know he’s head over heels for you. You know our daddy forbade either of us from dating someone of a lower … socioeconomic status?” Tara asked. “I learned that word this week. Did I use it right?”

“He wasn’t supposed to date me because I’m poor?”

“Good. I did use it right.”

Adrienne rolled her eyes at Tara’s pleased tone.

“So you’ll help me.”

She hesitated, wanting to believe Jayden did care for her but terrified after this morning. What other surprises were in store for her? More dead women in the dumpster? More curses from Kimmie?

She said nothing for a long moment, not expecting Tara to walk with her into downtown New Orleans. Her thoughts calmed, and she was able to sort through some of her feelings.

Tara was right. Jayden wouldn’t give his family heirloom to someone he didn’t remotely care about, let alone didn’t remember two days later. The email she thought had been teasing – if odd – that he sent yesterday made more sense in the light Tara shed on it.

Maybe Kimmie wanted the dog tags for a different reason. If she knew there was a protective spell on them, did she want to make sure Jayden didn’t get them back?

Or was she simply jealous?

Adrienne still felt pain at what she’d seen in the hallway, but it lessened a little at the possible explanation for why Jayden was kissing Kimmie, and she even felt a trickle of triumph at the idea of making Kimmie jealous.

I’m still not staying here,
she vowed to herself.

“Where are we going?” Tara asked.

Adrienne debated. “To see a friend,” she said reluctantly. “The voodoo priestess who’s trying to help me with Kimmie’s curse. Maybe she can help Jayden, too.”

“Sweet.”

Adrienne wanted to despise Tara for wanting to help Jayden so she didn’t have to babysit, but she wasn’t able to condemn the girl who ditched school to find a cure for her brother’s hex. Tara was selfish but there was a part of her that was good, or she wouldn’t be talking to her.

“Will Rene be there?” Tara asked.

“Maybe. I dunno,” Adrienne replied. “He kind of does his own thing.”

Tara was quiet.

Adrienne led them through the streets to her neighborhood. At mid-morning, she doubted even Rene could find a reason to yell at her for walking. The streets were filled with people going to and from work, not serial killers and gang members.

Her thoughts went again to the body found in her alley. While Tara’s presence wasn’t exactly welcome, they were at least headed to the place where Adrienne most needed to go.

An hour and a half after leaving the school grounds, they reached Candace’s shop.

“Coffee!” Tara brightened. “Thank god!” She walked to the counter behind which a barista stood.

Adrienne went to Candace, who sat behind the cash register.

“Shouldn’t you be in school?” Candace asked, studying her.

“I’m never going back,” Adrienne said firmly. “I sent you a link.”

“I saw it.” Candace glanced at Tara. “Who’s this?”

“Tara. Someone who needs help because her brother is hexed.” Adrienne didn’t mention Jayden being the boy she was interested in. “Same girl who cursed me cursed him. I thought maybe you can help.”

“Of course. Come on back,” Candace said and motioned her around the counter.

“Tara, c’mon,” Adrienne called.

Tara grabbed a small handful of sugar packets and a stir stick then followed with her coffee.

Adrienne took her normal seat while Tara gazed around the sacred room curiously.

“This is Tara. Tara, Candace,” Adrienne said. She slumped, tired from her morning and feeling as empty as the bottle of soda on Candace’s table.

The two began talking, and Adrienne tuned them out. She pulled her notebook and iPad free, but ignored the growing number of email alerts awaiting her. Instead, she focused again on her sister’s journal. When Tara was done, Adrienne would talk to Candace privately about the woman in the alley.

“Adrienne.” Candace interrupted her concentration sometime later.

She looked up.

“Tara just told me something really interesting. Were you listening?” Candace asked.

“Nope.”

“Go ahead, Tara.”

Adrienne waited for the pretty girl with dark eyes to speak. Tara smiled at Candace before turning to Adrienne.

“The twins dragged out a box from Jay’s closet and were playing with this key. I guess they were trying to find a treasure chest it fit into or whatever kids do,” Tara began. “Jay freaked. I mean, totally. He’s normally never like that, but he actually yelled at them. They both started crying and I confronted him about it. It was awful. Anyways, I asked him what the hell he was thinking, scaring the girls like that.”

Adrienne listened critically, not seeing what the story had to do with her. She glanced at Candace, whose patient smile was a silent sign of encouragement.

“He told me this strange story about the key. I guess Daddy gave it to him. It belonged to one of their ancestors, who used to sell slaves to the New World and who ended up cursed because of how he betrayed everyone he knew just so he could make like, millions of dollars. The key is a reminder to Daddy’s family of the curse, which I guess was supposed to kill the firstborns in Daddy’s family up until Jayden, who was immune because he was born outside the curse. Something about ninety-nine.”

“Ninety nine firstborns. Like my family,” Adrienne said, surprised. “My sister was supposed to be ninety-nine.” Her mind raced. “Candace, is it true? Is Jayden from the family of the man who bought the curse from mine?”

“It sounds too familiar not to be possible,” Candace said. “I can’t say for certain, but I can ask the spirits to enlighten me. Even if we can’t determine for sure, we can ask Jayden to help us. If he’s not the descendent of the same curse, no loss.”

Adrienne shook her head. “Not until we can do something about Kimmie brainwashing him. Tara said he didn’t remember me, and I saw him making out with Kimmie today.” She cleared her throat, embarrassed by the tears that sprang up at the memory. “But even if he was back to normal, he doesn’t believe in voodoo.”

Candace was quiet. Adrienne forced herself to focus on Tara’s story and not her pain.

“What are you thinking, Candace? That he can help us break the curse?” she asked, touching the dog tags at her neck.

Before Candace could answer, the vision she’d seen in the car – that of the two girls playing with the key – hit her. Tara’s words clicked. The two girls were Jayden’s sisters.

“Candace! Do you think the curse is attached to the key? Like how you can put protective spells on things and then give them to someone to keep with them?”

“Possible. I would need to see the key.”

They both looked at Tara.

She shrugged. “Okay. If you think it might help. Can I bring Jayden in, too, so you can fix him?”

“There is no overnight cure for a curse, Tara,” Candace said gently. “But if you can get him here, then it will definitely help.”

Adrienne listened to them talk, mind on Jayden. What were the chances the two of them were descendants of the same curse? Was this why she felt the instant connection to him, or was it simply hormones, as her daddy would say?

The idea Kimmie was robbing Jayden of his ability to think for himself infuriated her. Kimmie couldn’t know the damage she was doing by forcing Jayden to make decisions he wouldn’t normally make. She didn’t understand what the price was for her actions, either.

But Jayden’s cards from Saturday made sense. He fell recklessly in love with someone he shouldn’t have. She took some comfort in knowing there was hope in his future.

Eyes drifting to the iPad and the page of her sister’s journal she’d pulled up, Adrienne felt suddenly anxious to decipher the rest of the music. How long did she have until the Red Man came for her? How long to help Jayden and how long to regain her voice? What if she missed her chance to help Jax and her sister, if it were even possible?

The anger boiling within her turned to fury and desperation.

“It’s not fair!” she shouted, standing.

Candace and Tara both jumped.

“Kimmie is ruining everything!”

“Calm, child,” Candace said. “We’ll –”

“No! It could take weeks,
months
, to fix my voice and give Jayden his willpower back, if it’s even possible! It’s not good enough, Candace. We have to do more.”

“More? Like what?” Tara asked.

“Like I want to buy a hex to put on Kimmie, to force her to do what I tell her.”

“No, Adrienne. You don’t fight black magic with black magic. It will only cause you great grief,” Candace said.

“So, what? I wait for the Red Man to track me down and kill me when I
know
I have a chance to break the curse? Jayden ends up with someone he doesn’t like?” Adrienne paced.

“Tara will bring in the key. I can talk to Kimmie, if need be,” Candace urged. “Have faith, Adrienne.”

“I don’t have time for faith, Candace!” Adrienne snapped. “I can buy whatever I need. If you won’t sell it to me, I’ll find someone who will!”

Candace’s frown deepened. “Think this through, Addy. You inherited a curse from the actions of your ancestors. Would you risk doing the same to your family?”

Adrienne blew out a breath. “What if I never get my voice back?”

“We don’t know that.”

It’s not your life at risk!
Adrienne kept the words to herself, doubting Candace could understand. By the
mambos
’ compassionate look, she wasn’t going to budge.

Adrienne grabbed her iPad and shoved it and her notebook away.

“I’m not going to let Kimmie ruin my life and Jayden’s,” she said and slung her bag over her shoulder. After a moment of thought, she yanked off the dog tags and slapped them on the table in front of Tara. “Take these. Maybe they’ll keep Kimmie’s curse from getting worse. I’ll find someone else to help us.” She pushed aside the curtain separating the shrine room from the front of the store and marched out.

“Adrienne, wait!” Candace called.

Adrienne ignored her. She hurried outside and paused, glancing both ways.

At home, she’d wouldn’t know where to get such a spell. Here, she just needed to find a legit bokor and not one of the tourist traps.

She wanted to scream out of frustration. Worry made her breath short, and she struggled to think clearly. There didn’t seem to be much of a choice now. She had to stop Kimmie. If it was only her life to consider, she might be willing to listen to Candace.

But not Jayden. The idea of Kimmie taking away the only guy ever interested in her, who was perfect in every way Adrienne could imagine, made her sick.

It wasn’t right for one person to ruin so many lives.

She was gritting her teeth hard enough to cause a headache. Adrienne rubbed her temples then picked a direction. She made it to the end of the block before she heard someone new call her name.

“Adrienne.”

She suspected Rene had hunted her down. She turned, not expecting to see Jax a few feet behind her. He moved too quietly for her to hear him approach. Today, he wore a t-shirt that displayed the tattoos running down his roped forearms. He wore no mask, though the creepy skeleton was drawn on his face with Halloween makeup.

“You look like Baron Samedi,” she murmured.

“It’s how I show my respect for him,” he said. “Where you going?”

“I know. Don’t walk alone,” she said, irritated. “But it’s broad daylight. Nothing’s going to happen.”

“You didn’t answer my question. Your daddy’s apartment is that way.” He turned and lifted his chin towards the opposite direction she was headed.

Adrienne crossed her arms. “I don’t have to tell you anything.”

The lean gang leader approached her, pausing less than a foot away. Adrienne tilted her head back to meet his blue-green gaze. There was an odd, predatory gleam in his eyes that made her wish Rene was there.

“You really wanna play this game with me?” he asked softly. “These are my streets, Adrienne. No one crosses me on my streets.”

“I’m not …” she drifted off then swallowed her anger.

Help Jax.

She began to doubt the latest piece of advice from her long-dead sister. Jax seemed completely in control, not the kind of man who needed help.

“I need to find a
bokor
,” she answered him.

“Why?”

“Um, there’s a girl at school bothering me.” She dropped her gaze to his chest as she spoke, uncertain why her instincts didn’t like the idea of telling him it had to do with the curse.

Jax was silent, still, long enough for her to doubt he believed her. She didn’t look up, instead studying his lean frame. Her sister had fallen in love with this man. The gentlest person on earth, how had Therese managed to tame someone who seemed so … hard? Cold?

“That’s my sister,” she said, eyes lingering on one tattoo on his arm. “She was happy with you.”

His tension was scaring her.

Adrienne withdrew the picture Rene gave her.

Jax took it. The sight of Therese had an instant effect. He took a deep breath and shook out his shoulders.

“Yeah,” he agreed. “We were happy together.”

Sensing his dangerous mood had passed, Adrienne stepped away until she was comfortable with the distance between them.

“You need a
bokor
,” Jax repeated, eyes on the picture. “C’mon. I’ll take you.” He pocketed the picture and started away.

Adrienne watched him, wanting to run, but suspecting he could find her, wherever she went, as long as she was in his territory.

Now would be a good time to show up, Rene,
she said silently, dwelling on the younger brother’s warning not to be around Jax.

Jax glanced back over his shoulder, his gait slowing.

Adrienne scrambled after him, afraid of him without understanding what it was about him that scared her.

He went into the nearest alley, where a motorcycle waited. Straddling it, he tossed her the single helmet.

“Hop on,” he told her.

“Um, are we going far?” she asked.

“No.”

Adrienne went.

Help Jax.

Maybe this is what her sister wanted her to do, to go with him. Therese had trusted him at one point, and she’d possessed some woman’s body long enough to deliver the message to Adrienne that Jax needed help.

Feeling a little more confident, Adrienne climbed on back of the motorcycle, situated her cross-body bag and wrapped her arms around him.

“Ready?” he shouted above the roar of the bike.

“Yes!”

The bike shot forward. Adrienne gasped and clung to him.

Jax tore through the streets, not stopping for traffic, weaving in and out of cars and bypassing red lights with sudden turns.

Adrienne clung to him, at first horrified by the speed and air rushing by her. Her fear was replaced by a thrill as she realized the extent of Jax’s deft skill. He drove with a sixth sense, as if he could predict what the cars and people around them were going to do before they did it. Her heart slammed into her chest as they passed within inches of trucks and cut off cars with a hair’s width of space to spare.

The ride became mesmerizing enough that she forgot to watch to see where they went. The compact blocks grew longer, the frequent stoplights spaced farther a part. Not once did Jax stop at a red light.

After her nightmarish few days, the release of adrenaline lifted her spirits.

The breathless twenty minute ride slowed and stopped. Jax propped one leg against the curb in front of a long row of townhouses with brick facades.

Adrienne climbed off, her legs wobbly and her body humming from exhilaration. She looked around. A small, grassy park was opposite the row houses, and older cars lined the curbs. It was a nicer section of town than where she lived, but not by much. There were bars over the windows of the houses lining the park.

“Where are we?” she asked curiously.

“Where you need to be.” Jax swung his leg off the motorcycle and pried the helmet off her. He draped it over the handlebars then strode forwards.

He took the stairs in front of one row house two at a time. True to his nature, he didn’t knock, but walked right in.

Adrienne followed him and paused in the narrow foyer beyond the front door. Somewhere in the house, a television was playing. The hallway before her had two open doorways – one on each side – and led to a set of stairs going up.

Jax appeared through one of the doorways.

“You got an iPad in there?” he asked, motioning to her bag.

“Yeah. School-issued,” she replied.

“Cell phone?” he asked. He reached forward and grabbed the strap, pulling it off.

“Um, no.”

He unzipped the bag and pulled out the iPad then handed the bag back. Without speaking, he started down the hallway. He tossed the device into one of the open doorways.