Chapter 14

“I’m happily exhausted.” Loren kicked off her heels, sat in a high-backed chair, and accepted a chilled glass of wine from Kendra.

“I’m too exhausted to be excited,” Deanne said, flopping down on the couch next to a disgruntled Clementine. “I think everyone in New Orleans came through the store.”

“Wasn’t it wonderful?” Kendra clapped her hands and twirled around on the braided rug that stretched across her living room. “It’s a good thing we have extra stock. We about sold out of everything.”

It was six o’clock and the three of them were in Kendra’s apartment above Enchantment. She opened the French doors letting in the soft sound of an acoustic guitar from the street below. The last rays of the sun reflected off caramel-colored walls illuminating white-framed paintings of nineteenth-century New Orleans. Fringed lamps sat on antique end tables beside the mismatched sofa and overstuffed chairs. Colorful woven rugs were scattered across the worn hardwood floor. Opposite the French doors, narrow bookcases on either side of the gas fireplace held her library on magic, glass blowing, and the romance novels she couldn’t live without. Small tables held bowls of crystals and the whimsical glass figures she created.

“How can you have so much energy?” Deanne asked. “We’ve been on our feet for hours.”

Kendra laughed. “I’m on a success high. We kicked butt, and Claudia Casteel from the Picayune is going to give us a great review.”

Loren sipped her wine. “She’s fascinated with magic. She kept asking me if I was a witch and could I perform a séance for her.”

“What did you tell her?” Kendra asked.

“I told her if she wanted to see ghosts, she should take one of your mother’s cemetery tours.”

“Good answer,” Kendra said. “Mom could take her to St. Louis Number One to meet Marie Laveau.”

Deanne sat up so quickly she almost spilled her wine. “That’s who Marie was talking about. Has to be.”

Loren and Kendra looked questioningly at each other, then back at Deanne who waved her hand in impatience. “A week ago, I was in the cemetery visiting Marie, and she was pretty upset. She said there was a new force of dark magic in New Orleans and for the three of us to be careful.”

“And you’re just now getting around to sharing this tidbit?” Loren asked.

“We’ve been so busy it slipped my mind. Besides, you know Marie can be over protective. It has to be Jared she was talking about. And it’s Kendra who’s in danger.”

Loren and Deanne’s eyes were now on Kendra, who frowned back. “Deanne, Marie couldn’t have been talking about Jared. He’s a low-life scum-of-the-earth jerk, but he’s not evil.”

“You don’t know what he’s been doing or who he’s been involved with while he’s been gone,” Loren said.

“And it’s just too much of a coincidence Marie tells me that and he shows up a few days later,” Deanne added.

Kendra gnawed her bottom lip. It was true she didn’t know what Jared had been up to, but becoming a dark witch was hard to believe. On the other hand, that woman could have seduced him into some weird cult. She sighed. They never took Marie’s warnings lightly. Marie had been watching over the three of them since childhood, and more than once her premonitions had kept them out of trouble.

“We’ll have to cast a protective spell around you. I’ll make you up a gris gris bag of my best herbs,” Loren was saying as Kendra returned from her musings. “But the best protection is for you to stay away from Jared.” She cocked her head. “Okay, spill it. I can tell by the expression on your face there’s something you’re not telling us.”

Kendra braced herself for their reaction. “Jared wanted to take me to dinner tonight and explain why he left and where he’d been.”

Deanne set her glass down on the trunk Kendra used as a coffee table. “And you told him what?”

“I told him no. But I have a feeling he’s going to show up here anyway.”

“That’s easy enough to take care of,” Loren said. “We won’t answer the door.”

Kendra sighed. “I know how stubborn he is. He won’t give up until I hear him out. I should just go to dinner with him and get it over with.”

“What?” Loren and Deanne cried as one.

“Are you crazy?” Deanne rose to her feet, her dress swirling around her knees. “Girl, how could you stomach being in the same room with that man?” She placed her hands on her hips. “Besides, I thought we were going to go out and celebrate our success. Instead you’re talking about dumping your best friends to go out with the man who not only broke your heart but might be some crazed demon as well.”

Kendra sighed. “First, I don’t think Jared is a crazed demon.” She held up her hand forestalling Deanne. “Wait a minute and let me finish. But I’ll be sure to be on my guard. As far as dumping my friends, didn’t we decide we’d wait and see if we were a success or failure before we celebrated?”

Loren laughed. “She’s got us there.”

“And,” Kendra continued, “we told Deanne’s parents we’d pick a day when they could set aside room in the restaurant for a party.”

Deanne scowled. “Okay, so we can wait, but that doesn’t mean you have to go out with Jared. What about Thaddeus? He’s a great guy. Are you just going to ignore him because the asshole is back?”

“No, I’m not going to ignore Thaddeus. I still plan on seeing him. Jared being here has nothing to do with that relationship.”

“Deanne, I’m afraid you’re wasting your breath,” Loren stated. “She’s determined to see Jared, and nothing we say is going to stop her.” She turned to Kendra. “Can you at least explain to us why you’re considering this?”

“Because I need closure. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life wondering why he left me.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Can’t you understand that?”

They each put an arm around Kendra.

“We just don’t want him to hurt you again,” Loren said. “Promise us you’ll have dinner with him, hear what he has to say, and come straight home.”

“That’s right,” Deanne agreed. “Do not let him sweet-talk you, especially into bed.”

Kendra shook her head. “That’s the last thing you have to worry about.”

Deanne’s brows rose questioningly. “Is that right? Things seemed pretty hot and heavy when we caught you in his arms earlier. Girl, you melt like ice in July when he looks at you with his baby blues.”

Loren nodded. “I’m afraid Deanne’s right. You’ve never had any self-control around that man. Perhaps we should go with you tonight just to be sure you don’t do something you’ll regret.”

Kendra sighed with exasperation. “Okay, say I agree with everything you’re saying, but things have changed between Jared and me. I’m not the naive love-struck girl I once was. I’m perfectly capable of having dinner with Jared and not ending up in his bed.”

Loren squeezed Kendra’s hand. “Tell us the truth. Do you still love him?”

Kendra turned away from Loren’s intense gaze. Coming from a family of healers, Loren could easily perceive emotions. “I don’t honestly know.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “He hurt me more than I ever imagined, and I never want to experience that again. I also don’t know if I could ever trust him.” She frowned. “He actually acted surprised when I asked him about that woman we saw in the crystal ball.”

“How did he explain what he said to you on the phone?” Loren asked.

“He said he was forced to make the call and didn’t mean what he said.”

“Forced by whom?” Deanne asked.

Loren bit her lower lip. “Perhaps he’s telling the truth.”

“That’s just great,” Deanne said with exasperation. “Encourage her to trust him and watch all the work we’ve done to help her get over him go right out the window the second he walks through the door. I just know she’s going to let him charm her right back into his arms.”

Kendra tried to conceal her annoyance. “I didn’t say I was going to take him back. I’m just not sure how I feel about him.” Seeing Jared, and her reaction to his kiss, had shaken her more than she wanted to admit to her friends. She’d truly thought she’d begun to heal and could go on with her life, and Thaddeus might be a part of that life. But now her wounds had reopened, filling her with pain and memories of her love for Jared as well.

Loren squeezed Kendra’s hand. “We understand you need to see him for closure, but please be strong and do not let him talk you into doing something you’ll regret.”

“That’s right,” Deanne added. “Are you sure you don’t want us to follow you? We could be in disguise, and if he tries to seduce you we can turn him into a troll.”

Kendra grinned. “Thanks, but I don’t think it will be necessary. If he tries to seduce me, I’m perfectly capable of turning him into a troll myself. Besides, I don’t know for sure if he’ll show up.”

“Oh, he’ll show all right,” Deanne said. “And I still think by agreeing to go to dinner you’re making it too easy for him.”

Kendra paused. “Well, there might be a way to make him suffer.”

“We’re listening,” Deanne said.

“When the arrogant ass brings me home, he’ll think I can’t resist him, and I’ll ask him to come upstairs, but I’ll just nicely thank him for dinner and close my door in his face.”

“Yes, I love it.” Loren clapped her hands. “You also need to use some of my passion perfume. It’s been known to make men howl at the moon. Oh, and I have body lotion down in the store.”

“I’m not sure about this,” Deanne said. “I’m afraid leading Jared Dupre on is asking for major trouble.”

“Deanne, will you please trust me? I can handle Jared. Now in case he does come, I have to find something to wear.”

Deanne smiled. “All right. If you’re determined to do this, you need something low cut and short-skirted.”

“I have that little black halter dress I got on Royal Street.”

“Perfect,” Deanne said. “And those strappy stilettos.”

“What about her hair?” Loren asked. “Should she wear it up?”

Deanne shook her head. “Leave it down, but not loose. She needs to gather it up in a clip so the curls flow down her back. There’s nothing sexier than long hair on bare skin.”

“Okay, I’ll go change.” Kendra frowned. “And hopefully I’m right and he’s coming, and I won’t be all dressed up with nowhere to go.”

“We could be so lucky,” Deanne murmured.

Kendra headed toward her bedroom, then stopped. In disbelief she turned to face her friends. Her cell phone had begun to cheerfully play “When the Saints Go Marching In” while there was a persistent buzzing of her downstairs bell.

“Damn,” she exclaimed and hurried to grab her phone. “Oh, damn,” she said as she read the caller ID. “It’s Thaddeus. What do I do?” Buzz, buzz, buzz. “And that’s probably Jared.”

“Answer the phone,” Loren said getting to her feet. “I’ll stall Jared before he lets himself in.”

“I’m going to sit right here and enjoy the show,” Deanne said, pouring herself another glass of wine.

Kendra, phone in hand, left the room. “Hello,” she said after shutting the bedroom door.

“Hey, Kendra, it’s Thaddeus. I hope I’m not calling at a bad time.”

Kendra stifled a laugh at the absurdity of it all. “No, it’s fine. Deanne, Loren, and I were just relaxing.”

“So, how did it go? Was your opening a success?”

“Yes, thanks. We practically sold out.”

“Great. I was calling to see if I could take you to dinner to celebrate.”

She silently groaned. This was turning into a farce. She heard the door to the apartment open and Jared’s voice. To keep from making this more complicated than it already was, she chose the easiest way out. “Thaddeus, I appreciate the offer, but it’s been a long day and I’m awfully tired. Would you mind if we do it another time?”

“No problem. You get some sleep, and I’ll see you later.”

“Thanks.” As she hung up, the crystal genie bottle she’d retrieved from the display window caught her eye. If Thaddeus had sent it to her, it was a wonderful thoughtful gift. But why not acknowledge he’d done so? She’d have to come right out and ask him the next time she saw him. Kendra removed the stopper and inhaled deeply. She didn’t care if Loren or Deanne liked the fragrance, she did. Just then she heard Deanne’s raised voice, “You hurt her again, and you’ll have to answer to me and, trust me, boyfriend, it will get real ugly.”

Sighing, Kendra rubbed her temples and silently prayed, Mother Goddess, give me strength. Help me not let my guard down.

A short time later, changed, with fresh makeup on and her hair a riot of curls down her back, Kendra murmured a quick spell for courage, clasped her gold unicorn, and stepped into the living room. Okay, this is it. You will remain distant and aloof. You will not let him seduce you with sweet words and promises. But she couldn’t stop her heart from doing a little flip when he turned and smiled. His hair, a little long in the back, was windblown across his forehead. The open-necked shirt was deep burgundy, his leather jacket, jeans, and low boots all black.

As his eyes slid over her, the pure lust filling their blue depths was exactly the reaction she’d hoped for.

“You look…”

Kendra lifted an arched brow. “Yes?”

He hesitated. “Incredible.”

She smiled. “Do I?”

“You’re trying to drive me crazy, right?”

Her smile widened. “Is it working?”

“Oh, yeah, baby, it’s working.”

“Good.”

For a few seconds, they just stood staring at one another, until the pull of his sexual energy sent Kendra’s thoughts in a direction she didn’t intend to go.

“I have something for you.” He reached into his jacket pocket and removed a small paper bag from Laura’s Candies. “I assume you still like chocolate.”

Kendra inwardly groaned. Chocolates from my favorite sweet shop. He always knew my weaknesses. She cleared her throat. “Thank you. You shouldn’t have.” She noticed they were alone. “Where are Deanne and Loren?”

“They couldn’t stomach being in the same room with me, so they left.”

She cocked her head. “What are you doing here anyway? I thought I said I wouldn’t go out with you.”

“I told you I’d see you later.” His lips twitched. “Besides, by the way you’re dressed, it seems you were expecting me.”

Kendra gritted her teeth. “What if I told you I was going out with my new friend?” Good, she thought, that wiped the cockiness off his face.

Jared leaned against the kitchen counter and folded his arms. “Then I’d tell you, you’d be going out with a demented killer.”

Kendra rolled her eyes. “Really, Jared, that’s a bit much.”

He straightened and his face hardened. “Kendra, I’m not kidding. Adam Montief is an evil bastard who hurts people.”

Kendra knitted her brows. “Who’s Adam Montief?”

Confusion filled Jared’s eyes. “You said he was your new boyfriend.”

“My new friend’s name is Thaddeus Marsh.”

Jared hesitated. “Was your new boyfriend the man who was with you outside of Enchantment earlier?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Jared’s mouth formed a thin line. “Then he’s lying to you. His real name is Adam Montief.”

For a few seconds, Kendra stared at Jared. “Obviously, you have Thaddeus confused with this Adam person.”

“There’s no confusion. He’s the same man, and he’s a monster.”

“How can you say that about someone you’ve never met?”

“Oh, trust me, we’ve met. It’s because of him I missed our wedding and Philippe and I almost died.”

An icy chill formed in Kendra’s stomach. She opened and closed her mouth before she could ask, “What do you mean you almost died?”

He walked to the French doors which overlooked the street. “It’s a complicated story, but the short version is that Adam Montief is the witch who kidnapped Philippe and threatened to kill him if I didn’t break it off with you. Apparently one of my ancestors killed one of his over two hundred years ago, and now he wants revenge. I followed him to his compound on an island off the coast of Connecticut. We fought, and the last time I saw him he was going over a cliff into the Atlantic.”

Incredulous, Kendra shook her head. “I don’t know who this Adam person is, but if what you’re telling me is true, he can’t be Thaddeus, because he’s alive.”

“I know it sounds crazy. And I didn’t explain it very well. The thing you need to know is that Adam Montief and Thaddeus are the same person.”

“But you just told me you watched him die. How could they be the same?”

“I don’t know the answer to that, but I intend to find out.”

She crossed the living room toward him. “Do you realize how outrageous this story sounds?”

“Yes, but it’s the truth.”

“Jared, you and I both know people don’t come back from the dead. So how could Adam be the person I know?”

“He’s the man I saw you with outside Enchantment. Adam Montief is one of the most powerful, and evil, witches I have ever encountered, so he may have somehow saved himself and healed quickly.”

She threw up her hands in exasperation. “It couldn’t be him. Thaddeus is a kind, sensitive person who wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

“Listen to me. Kind and sensitive are the last words to describe Adam. He likes to have people under his control, especially women.” He stepped closer and raised her chin until he could look directly into her eyes. “And I’m afraid he’s already working on you. Why else would you doubt me?”

His touch sent a jumble of conflicting emotions racing through her. There had been a time when she would never have doubted him, but that was before he destroyed her trust. Did she truly know the man standing in front of her? Mother of the Gods, how had her life become such a mess? She batted his hand away and stepped back. “First, no man, including you, has me under their control. And if this is all true, why didn’t you call and let me know what had happened? If you care as much as you say, why didn’t you trust me enough to include me?”

“I didn’t include you, because I wanted you out of harm’s way. I had enough on my hands without having to worry about you being in danger too. I didn’t call you because for most of the time I was delirious and unconscious. When I was lucid again, I thought about calling, but after all those awful things I said to you on the phone, I wanted to talk to you in person.”

“And the woman? Where does she fit in?”

Jared gritted his teeth. “For the love of Odin, who is this woman you keep talking about?”

Kendra reached for the open bottle of wine on the counter and poured herself a glass. She took a long sip before turning to Jared. “Deanne, Loren, and I tried to find you in the crystal ball. The image kept fading in and out, but I clearly saw you take the hand of a tall dark-haired woman.”

For a moment he just stared, then let out a long breath. “It must have been Sylvia McBride.”

“Who’s she?”

“She and her husband are a great couple who helped me out. In fact, your wonderful boyfriend was instrumental in their daughter’s death.”

“What?”

“That’s right. Their daughter’s body was found at the bottom of a cliff, and he made it seem like suicide. All because she wanted to leave him.”

Her emotions whirling, she needed to walk and clear her head. She grabbed a shawl and swung her black straw bag onto her shoulder. “I’m dressed up, hungry, and I’m going to dinner,” she said, heading for the stairs.

“Running from me isn’t going to change the truth,” he called, following her down, slamming the apartment door behind him.

At the end of her patience, her hand on the knob to the street door, Kendra turned. “Jared, I want you to go away.”

“Well, that’s too damn bad because I’m not leaving.” He reached for her and held her close. “Don’t you see, he’s already turning you against me.”

Tears formed in her eyes and she blinked them away. “No one turned me against you. I thought I knew you, Jared, but the person I knew wouldn’t have left me and ripped my heart out.”

The anger in his eyes softened. “Baby, please believe me, I would have never done that to you if I hadn’t had a good reason.”

Before she could reply, his mouth covered hers. She feebly pushed at his chest fighting her body’s instant reaction, but as his skillful lips teased and caressed, she knew her resistance was slipping away. She let out a soft sigh and wrapped her arms around his neck and for the moment lost herself in his kiss. This was the man she knew. The one person who could bring her body to life, fill her with love, and satisfy her completely.

He ran his hand down her back and across her bottom. “We need to get off these stairs,” he murmured against her mouth.

“Hmm, what?”

He nibbled her neck. “Let’s go upstairs where I can please you properly.”

A tiny voice in the back of her mind told her to stop, but when his hand stroked her breast, she ignored it. When his thumb circled her nipple, she moaned and the voice got louder. When his hand cupped her between her legs, the voice became a persistent roar. Breathing in shallow gasps, she stepped from his embrace. “Jared, no. Sex isn’t the answer to our problems. It will only make things worse.”

He grinned. “When did sex ever make anything worse?”

“I’m serious.” She rubbed her temples. “I’ve got an incredible headache. I’m going back upstairs and go to bed.”

“Come here.” He pressed his fingers on either side of her face and gently massaged while murmuring softly.

The tension instantly drained away. “Thanks.”

He kissed her palm. “You’re welcome. I didn’t mean for tonight to go so badly. Let me take you to dinner. We can start over.”

Emotionally drained, she hesitated.

“You have to eat, don’t you? And you don’t want to waste that killer dress, do you?”

She let out a long breath. “All right, but just dinner. Despite your reappearance and your outrageous accusations, I had a fantastic grand opening so you can take me to Antoine’s.” Without a backward glance, she stepped onto the sidewalk and headed toward Royal Street.

“Well, I’m glad my return didn’t totally ruin your day.”

She glanced over her shoulder. “Jared, I’m serious. I want to have a nice meal and talk of general things. We can save our discussion of why you chose the most special day of my life to leave me, humiliate me, and break my heart, for another time.”

Jared winced. “Nice shot.” He fell into step next to her.

“You can’t deny that’s what happened.”

He shook his head. “No, I can’t. But if you’d listen to me instead of being so damn pig- headed, you’d understand I’m telling the truth.”

The sidewalk became crowded forcing Jared to follow behind her. Kendra knew he was staring at her butt, so she made sure to swing her hips just enough to make her dress sway tantalizingly.

“Are you sure you can walk all the way to the restaurant in those shoes?”

“Oh, I can do all kinds of things in these shoes.”

“I’ll bet you can,” he murmured.