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Mackenzie gasped, trying to fill her lungs with air. Her throat was raw and she could barely speak. “What did he mean?” she rasped.
“Nothing, can you stand?”
She nodded, her throat on fire. Taryn got her back to the truck and headed for Madame Tula’s.
“I’m charging double for this,” she grunted in greeting, when she met them at the door.
Mackenzie lay on the bed and closed her eyes. She just wanted to sleep.
“What happened?” she asked.
“Lucien. She also activated the talisman,” Taryn admitted.
Madame Tula swore in a couple of different languages, “Where is it?”
“I don’t know,” Taryn replied.
“If you want to save her life, you better find me that damn talisman.”
Mackenzie reached into her pocket for it. She held it out and Madame Tula snatched it from her.
“It takes time for the talisman to reach full strength. Once that happens it becomes a useless piece of metal and the power will probably kill her.”
“What do we do?” Taryn sounded worried, which surprised Mackenzie.
“You do nothing. You’re done enough. I might be able to bind the power to the talisman.”
Mackenzie fell asleep to the sound of Madame Tula’s humming. She was so sore and exhausted she honestly didn’t care if she ever woke up.
Taryn was gone when she opened her eyes, but he had left a note.
The Dukes won’t look for you and I have fixed things with the police. You’re in the clear. Taryn.
So, he wasn‘t going to help her get her mother out.
“Not even a thank you,” she whispered.
“You wouldn’t get one from him,” Madame Tula said. She was sitting in a chair by the fire.
Mackenzie put a hand to her throat. The bruising had gone down and it didn’t hurt as much.
“Well, I’m capable of saying it. Thank you for your help.”
Madame Tula gave her a small smile; she stood and came over to the bed.
“Here,” she handed her the talisman.
“What do I do with it?” she asked.
“My advice?” Madame Tula replied, “Get rid of it, somewhere no one will find it.”
“What about the power, is it gone?”
“Yes, it is contained inside the necklace. You have three days to get rid of it. If you do that then you will be fine. You will be back to normal.”
“Whatever normal is.”
When she was strong enough, Mackenzie took the truck Taryn had left behind, and drove to Rhonda’s in San Francisco. When Rhonda opened the door, she took one look at her and embraced her.
“Oh, honey, what’s happened?” Rhonda asked.
“I can’t even tell you half of it,” she whispered.
“Come inside,” Rhonda ushered her in and made her some tea. Toys were scattered over the living room floor. There was no sign of the kids. She guessed they were in school.
“Sorry, I have nothing stronger,” she apologized. She wouldn’t have any alcohol in her house, not with her history.
“Don’t worry about it, this is fine.” She drank the tea, feeling slightly better.
“I found my father,” she said at last.
“You did? What is he like?” Rhonda asked, lighting a cigarette.
“He’s dead. I watched him die,” she said. She felt like she should be crying but the tears wouldn’t come.
“Mac, sweetie, I’m so sorry.”
“I don’t know what to do. I can’t tell my mom, it would send her over the edge.”
“You can stay here as long as you want, until you decide what to do.”
Mackenzie nodded, grateful to her. She couldn’t face going home just yet.
“I just want to forget the whole thing ever happened.”