Punished (2 page)

“Shh,” I said again, as I concentrated on the soft but distinct ruffling noise that was coming from the hallway. I could sense someone standing right outside the door. I felt their presence. “Do you hear that?”

He shook his head. “A spirit?”

“No. Not a spirit. Maybe a guest.” I quietly pleaded that Sabrina hadn’t woken up and had decided to eavesdrop again.

I followed Lucus, as he walked over to the door and flung it open. We stepped out into the long, dark hall. “There’s no one here,” Lucus advised.

“There was,” I said firmly. “Someone was listening to us.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yeah. Apparently, someone has nothing better to do than listen to us argue.”

“Then we can’t possibly stay here, can we? How about a walk outside? I’ll answer any questions that you may have.” He held out his arm, inviting me to take it.
 

“I don’t know. It’s pretty late.” I wrapped my arms around me protectively and stared at my bare feet. I noticed that I needed to clip my toenails.

“It’s just an innocent walk, please,” he begged.

I was hesitant. “I don’t know…”

He walked over to me and cupped my cheeks between his hands. “You’re free to leave at any time.”

“Fine, just a quick walk.”
 
I reluctantly followed him out the door. I told myself that there was no point in staying, but deep inside, I knew I was clearly in denial.

Chapter 2

Bade’s Warning

 
Outside, the night air greeted us with a warm and sticky hug. The regal oaks danced in the moonlight making them appear alive and observant. The marble floor felt cool and inviting against my bare feet. Even from the front porch, I could hear the exotic animals of Darkwood’s swamp happily singing a soothing night song. They hummed in a secret language that no human could ever hope to decipher.

The irresistible smell of Cuban roses, jasmine and honeysuckle from a nearby garden mingled together to form a unique and alluring scent. It was a smell that Sabrina would probably pay thousands of dollars for if it came in a fancy bottle. I lifted my heavy hair off my neck. A soft night breeze whisked away the beads of sweat.

“Nights at Darkwood never cease to amaze me, even after all these years,” said Lucus, as he closed his eyes and inhaled the evening air. His dark eyelashes casted long shadows on his smooth tanned skin and highlighted the sharp angles of his cheekbones. Moonlight bounced off his glossy hair making it appear even shinier than it was. It was hard to believe that he was over a hundred years old. How could someone that old look so… I caught myself staring at him like Mr. Dumpty leered at gumbo.

“It is beautiful,” I agreed, as I looked up at the canopy of twinkling stars to distract myself.

“Enchanting, isn’t it?” whispered a familiar voice. It was Bade. I could feel him as another breeze blew through my silk kimono and filled me with ominous chills. I deliberately ignored him and hoped that he would get a clue. Although Bade was pretty much harmless, I found him annoying. He never took human form, or any shape for that matter. He showed up whenever he liked and also spoke in coded messages. On top of all of that, his voice had a peculiar hiss to it, like a snake. I willed him to go away. Of course, he didn’t. It wasn’t like I could control him or anything.

“Arelia, you’re ignoring me again. Why? Have I done something to upset you?”

From the corner of my eye, I could see Lucus carefully observing me. I walked over to the other end of the porch and turned my back on him. I hated when people stared at me. It made me nervous and uncomfortable. I always assumed they were picking up on all my flaws.

Unlike Sabrina, I wasn’t the type to take a billion pictures of myself and post them on Facebook or Twitter. I was way too paranoid for that. I couldn’t help but wonder what Lucus saw when he looked at me. Did he see a short girl with hair that was too long and unruly? Did he see an indecisive psychopath that rambled to invisible spirits? The fact that I was spending so much time thinking about what Lucus was thinking alarmed me. The last time I worried this much about what a guy thought was the previous summer. A summer I’d been trying hard to totally erase. Obviously, that plan wasn’t working out so great.

“Arelia? Arelia? I’m talking, you know.” Bade wasn’t going to give up.

“What do you want Bade?” I muttered.

“Ah, so you’re speaking to me again.” His creepy voice sang.

“What is it?” I whispered.

“Tonight’s not a good night for a walk,” he advised.

“Why not?” I asked.

“He’s terribly thirsty tonight. When he’s thirsty, it takes a lot to satisfy him. It takes a lot to appease him. You know the spirits must be appeased. They must be satisfied.”

“What are you talking about? Appease who?”

“Him,” he responded simply.

“Why can’t you just tell me his name?”

“I can’t do that, silly Arelia.” Bade was clearly relishing his little game. “Spirits can’t always talk about other spirits. We can’t go around telling you humans what we are up to. It’s not natural.”

I was beginning to realize that Bade was a spirit that loved to gossip. “Then why are you telling me this random piece of info if you’re not supposed to be?”

“I thought you’d like to know, giving you a little warning. He is hideously ugly. I think so anways. If I took human form, I know I would be so much better looking than him. He’s so greedy too. I don’t ask for nearly as much as he does. I can’t tell you his name though. I won’t tell you his name.”

“Bade, my patience is wearing thin right about now!” I threw my hands up in the air thoroughly exasperated by his little puzzle. “Just tell me what you’re talking about or go away.”

“You don’t have to be so rude Arelia. I’ll leave whenever I want.”

I tried to reason with him. “I’m sorry Bade, is there something you want? Is there something I can offer you in exchange for the name of whoever you’re talking about?”

“No,” he responded.

 
“Then why are you here?”

“There isn’t much for me to do tonight. No one has called upon me. I thought I’d pay you a little visit. Even spirits get lonely sometimes you know. You humans only call on us when you need something. You’re all so needy. You never call upon us just to talk. We like to talk, too.”

“I’m listening Bade, but you’re not saying anything worthwhile.”

“You’re not listening. I’m not going to expose his identity.”

“Fine, then I’m going to ignore you again.”

“Stubborn Arelia, you think you’re untouchable. You’re not. Spirits are much more powerful than you think. You’re a fool for thinking that a few tricks are enough to protect you. Danger is everywhere if you’re not careful. The spirits have no problem punishing you.”

I refused to answer or acknowledge him. I felt Bade linger a bit longer before making a grand exit that left a gust of wind behind. Relief flooded over me. I had no idea what he meant, or if I could even take him seriously. Obviously, he enjoyed teasing and tormenting me with illogical riddles and games. Was there a deeper meaning behind his words?

“Is everything alright?” Lucus asked, gently placing his hand on my shoulder.

Crap. “How much did you hear?” I asked, as I turned around to face him.

“Everything,” he admitted, as he gave me a small, uncertain smile. “Everything you said, not the spirit.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” I wasn’t exactly sure how I could explain what Bade had said. It was so cryptic and meaningless.
 

“I understand.” He nodded. He didn’t insist that I tell him what was going on which made me relax.

“So tell me, how did this whole thing start?” I asked conveniently changing the subject. “Were you born here?”

Lucus extended his arm. “Come with me and I’ll tell you everything.”

Chapter 3

Lucus LaPlante

As I placed my hand on his sturdy arm, my stomach did a little flip and anxiety washed over me. He led me down the marble stairs and towards the long oak-lined path. I dug my toes into the fresh earth and took a deep breath. I reminded myself that there was reason to be nervous.
 

In that exact moment, I was the happiest, and most horrified I had been, in a long time. Although Lucus’ knowledge of me was a bit freaky, maybe it was a sign that he did care for me. It scared me that he was able to read me so well. Somewhere, deep inside of me, I wanted to trust Lucus, but I knew that fairytales weren’t real. They were an epic fable created by parents who were too afraid to explain reality to their children. Ivan was right. Prince Charming always ended up with Barbie.

 
We stopped in front of a large bench made out of delicate white metal and sat down. Lucus’ face was tense. His eyes narrowed as he turned to face me.

“I’m waiting,” I said.

Lucus started his story. “It all began in 1830. My father, Jacque LaPlante, was an extremely wealthy merchant who immigrated to New Orleans from France.”

“Why did he leave France if he was so wealthy?” I asked.

“I suppose he had an insatiable appetite for adventure and the unknown. When he heard about the glorious chaos New Orleans was at that time, he wanted to be a part of it. He wanted to belong to a new world where opportunities and adventure existed in abundance. He was young, rich and handsome. The world was his for the taking. He had numerous friends here who had already established successful plantations. When he arrived, he fell in love with the land and immediately built Darkwood house. My father was a passionate collector of antiques and all things foreign. Darkwood was filled with imported goods from Spain, India, China, France, Italy, and Morocco. The finest things luxury could buy, most of which you still see in the house today. Oriental rugs, crystal chandeliers and marble statues for the garden, there was always something new. My mother always had the finest clothes and jewels. Her beauty and lifestyle were envied by all the women in New Orleans.”

“Was your mom from France too?”

Lucus shook his head. “No, she was already living in New Orleans when she met my father. They found one another at one of the many lavish balls that were held in the city. She was an exquisite beauty who came from a wealthy Spanish family. Captivated by her splendor and wit, my father proposed marriage the exact night they met.”

“Are you serious? One night? He proposed marriage after one measly night? How is that possible? I seriously doubt he fell in love with her that quickly!” The whole idea sounded beyond ridiculous to me.

Lucus grinned widely making the corner of his eyes crinkle. “You have an unwavering belief that love is supposed to be rational, don’t you?”

“It is.” I shrugged.

“LaPlante men simply know what they want.” His eyes gleamed.

I shook my head. “How did your mom react to his proposal?”

“My mother fell in love with him even though she was already betrothed at that time. She immediately called off her engagement and married my father the very next week.”

“That’s just insane and way too much drama.”

“How can you believe that? The greatest love stories are those filled with fire, passion and challenge. Look at Romeo and Juliet, Mark Antony and Cleopatra.”

I rolled my eyes. “Have you read the ending to all those stories? You do realize that everyone ends up dead, don’t you?”