Demons of Bourbon Street (20 page)

I hit contacts and pressed call.

“
We’re ready. Say the word and we’ll be on our way,” Gwen said over the line.

“
I need…Mom.” I swallowed back a sob of emotion.

“
I’ll put her on the phone—”

“
No.” I struggled to keep my breathing normal. “Just get her here.”

“
You got it, sweetheart. We’ll be on the next flight out.”

I hadn’t wanted to ask my mother to come. She needed time to recover from her twelve long years of being stuck in Purgatory. She had all the signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Making her relive her experience could cause all kinds of awful consequences to her mental health, but she had information none of the rest of us did. A virtual roadmap of Hell.

Lailah appeared, holding a violet blanket and matching pillow. Did the woman have anything in a neutral color other than clothes? “Here,” she said. “Philip and I will be in my room if you need us.”

I raised an eyebrow.
Sharing a bed
?

She ignored my mental question. “There’s a new toothbrush in the bathroom, and I laid out some pajamas for you to borrow.” She retreated toward her room.

“
Did you know Philip is Dan’s father?”

With her back to me, she paused in her doorway. “Does it matter?”

“
Not really.”

She glanced over her shoulder. “Yes, I knew.”

My chest tightened with irritation. “Did it ever occur to you that might make him more susceptible to Meri’s magic?”

Her lips pressed into a thin line as she clutched the door frame, knuckles white. “How was I supposed to know Meri was Philip’s mate? Or even that both of us were being controlled by her? Don’t you think I’d have done something different if I’d known?”

Meri had managed to possess Dan through a portrait her soul had been trapped in. Using Dan’s energy, she found a way to eventually control Lailah, as well.

“
One would think so,” I said.

She winced when my tone came out colder than I’d meant it to.

I bit the side of my cheek. “Sorry.”

“
Whatever. Good night.”

“
Wait.” There was something else I had to know. “Have you been in touch with Philip this whole time?”

She shook her head. “No one ever knows how to find Philip unless he wants them to.” The door shut silently behind her, leaving me alone in the living room.

I sagged against the velvet couch and closed my eyes. I didn’t mean to be so short with Lailah. I couldn’t help myself. The mind-reading, her soul guardianship over Dan, and her history with Kane grated on my last nerve. She was too close to me and the people I loved. Somehow, I had to move past my possessive tendencies. We all needed as much help as we could get.

Pulling my feet up under the blanket, I wrapped it around myself and then grabbed my phone once more. I tapped Kane’s name and typed,
Meet me in my dreams
.

I didn’t wait for a response. He’d find me. He always did.

The couch was surprisingly comfortable and, despite the stress of the day, or perhaps because of it, I instantly fell into a deep sleep.

Sunflowers. Everywhere. The moonlight shone down on a cloudless night, highlighting the sleeping blooms. Movement rustled the stalks behind me. I spun and smiled when I spotted Dan, his eyes alight with mischief and lips turned up in a goofy smile.

He held his hand out. I moved forward to take it. Just as our hands joined, he tugged me to him and locked his right leg behind mine, tumbling us both to the ground. We landed with him lying on top of me, his lips inches from mine.

“
Hello,” I said, breathless.

His grin widened. “Sorry about that.”

I laughed. “No, you aren’t.”

His expression turned serious and the grin vanished as something primal stirred in his eyes. His voice came out deep and husky. “You’re right.”

My eighteen-year-old heart sped up, thumping rapidly, and I stopped breathing. The sunflowers swayed back and forth in the light summer breeze, casting long shadows over us. Even if anyone came looking, they wouldn’t find us. Not at that hour.

I stared at Dan’s lips and licked my own. “Dan?”

“
Yeah?” He shifted, easing his weight off me as he laid on his side, still staring down at me.

“
Kiss me.”

He brought his hand up, softly caressing my cheek. I rested my hand over his and gazed up at him with lovesick adoration.

His emotions mirrored the ones swelling through me and when he dipped his head, lips brushing mine, a tiny tear of happiness fell down my temple.

Everything shifted and suddenly I was standing in front of Kane’s house, alone, staring at his front door. The same large moon hung in the sky, but I was no longer the young eighteen-year-old I’d been moments before. I waited a few beats for the lingering teenage emotions to fade away.

Kane. The man I loved was inside. Loved. With all my heart. Dan was in the past and had been for some time.

I took the steps and the door swung open to darkness. I poked my head in. “Kane?”

He sat on his overstuffed coffee-colored loveseat, sipping from a mug. “Sorry to interrupt.”

Ah, crap. I’d been dreaming of Dan. Again. But not just any dreams. This time they were memories. Right down to the last detail. But why? Was it because I was so focused on finding him? Maybe I was slipping into his dreams? No, that was impossible. Neither Dan nor I was a dreamwalker. That was Kane’s specialty. “Sorry. I don’t know why he keeps showing up in my subconscious.”

He set the mug down. “The mind is a powerful thing.”

“
True enough.” I stepped into his house and shut the door behind me. I moved to take the seat beside him, but thought better of it and perched on the edge of his couch. “How’s your leg?”

I eyed his thigh, but I couldn’t see anything through his dark denim jeans. It wouldn’t have mattered. This was a dreamwalk. Kane had the power to alter any damage and probably had.

“
I took a few painkillers. It didn’t help.” He glanced down and then met my eyes. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

Righteous indignation shot through me. “I told you it was just a dream. I can’t be expected to control those, can I? Dreamwalking is your thing, not mine.”

“
Jade,” he said with no small amount of impatience. “I meant about today. About why you took off without even talking to me? Or why you ended up almost caught in Goodwin’s media frenzy? And why you’re at Lailah’s house instead of your own…or mine?”

I stared at my hands clutched in my lap. “I’m not sure being here with you in a dreamwalk is safe.”

His tone softened. “Safe from who? You or Meri?”

“
Both,” I whispered and met his concerned gaze. “I’m the one she’s drawing power from. You’re the catalyst. Don’t you understand? The longer I stay away from you, the safer you’ll be.” Tears started to flow, unchecked down my face. “I’ve lost so many people in my life. I can’t stand to lose you.”

Kane moved to my side and wrapped his arms around me. “Don’t think for one moment I’m going to let you fight this alone.”

I choked back my tears and tried to pull away, but he only held on tighter. With my face buried in his shirt, I said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have run like that. But Kane—” I tilted my head up, “—in order to destroy her, I have to go to Hell. You can’t follow me there. With her mark on your leg, it’s too dangerous.”

“
Fuck that.” He kissed me, lips urgent and demanding.

My hands gripped his arms and I held on, desperate for this last moment together. It didn’t matter what I said. He’d find a way into Hell. He had all the connections I did, and worse, if he found a way to summon Meri, she’d take him. No, I’d have to go on my own. Soon.

He broke the kiss. “Promise me we’ll work out a plan, together.”

I bit my lip, not wanting to lie to him. But then I nodded anyway.

“
Good. Because I’m not losing you, either. Remember that.”

Chapter 14

“
Hey, shortcake,” my mom’s voice filtered in through my sleep-filled haze.

“
Hmm,” I murmured, but didn’t move.

A hand stroked my tangled mane. “Wake up, sweetheart.”

I blinked, squinting in the morning light. More shocking pink and red tones startled me awake. I sat up in one quick motion. My walls weren’t red. Where the hell was I?

Then I focused and my gaze landed on my mother, sitting on the brightly painted coffee table next to Lailah’s red couch. I threw my arms around her and hugged tight. “You’re here.”

“
Of course we are. You called. We came.”

Over her shoulder, I spotted Gwen standing near Lailah’s front door. She gave me a smile and waved a hand, indicating we’d connect a little later. A twinge of guilt sliced my gut. Gwen had been my parental figure for the last twelve years. I pushed the feeling aside, enjoying the moment with my mother.

Lailah appeared, holding a tray loaded with a carafe, bright pink coffee mugs, and something that looked suspiciously like beignets. “Good morning, Jade. Did you sleep all right?”

Her smirk told me she knew damn well Kane had dreamwalked me. I pretended I didn’t notice. “Fine. Thank you.”

“
Philip’s in the shower. After he’s dressed, we can work on a plan of action.”

I rubbed my eyes and stifled a yawn. “Okay.”

She disappeared back through her bedroom door, closing it behind her. Just how close were those two angels? Obviously close enough to share a bed. I couldn’t help but wonder how Goodwin, her supposed mate, factored in.

Gwen sat beside me and gave me a one-armed hug.

Warmth filled my heart, and I smiled. “Did you two hijack a plane or something? How did you manage to get here so soon?”

“
Your mother worked a little magic.” Gwen grabbed one of the small plates with a beignet and nibbled on a corner of the powder-sugar covered donut.

“
As in, cast a spell?” I asked, impressed. “How does that work?”

Mom shrugged. “I gave the airline a nudge to find us seats on the red eye. It was nothing.”

“
It wasn’t nothing,” Gwen said after she swallowed. “‘Impressive’ is the word I’d use.”