Cursed

Chapter Twenty One

Seated in the ice cream shop just off campus, Jayden was trying to determine the exact shade of Kimmie’s skin was when his phone rang. He blinked out of his stupor. He’d been unable to take his eyes – or hands – off her since Saturday night.

He glanced at his phone to see who called. If it was his mother, he’d hang up. After their last talk, he was trying to figure out if he should call her drug counselor about her strange rant or just let her work things out. Today was the day his daddy was dropping the paperwork off at court to sue her for permanent, full custody of Izzy.

Tara’s name crossed the screen.

“You can talk to her later,” Kimmie said. “We’re busy talking.”

He clicked the button to hang up on Tara and set the phone down.

“Where were we?” Kimmie asked, her smile dazzling. “I think you were telling me again how beautiful I am.”

Jayden opened his mouth to speak. His phone rang again.

Come on, Tara, just find another ride home.

He hung up.

She called right back.

“All right, she’ll drive me crazy if I don’t get this,” he said apologetically to Kimmie. “Give me a sec.” Jayden untangled his arms and legs from her in the booth where they sat practically on top of one another and walked to the lobby.

Kimmie rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, Tara,” he said, answering.

“Where are you?” she demanded.

“Hanging out with the most incredible woman on the planet.” He flashed a smile at Kimmie, who grinned.

“Ugh you’re making me sick. I need you to come get me.”

“Later. Or you know what? Find your own ride, Tara. I’m tired of driving you around,” he said. “You drove Daddy crazy until he bought you the car you wanted and now, I take you everywhere.”

“You won’t come get me?” She sounded offended.

“Nope. You’re seventeen. Act like it.”

“Okay, fine. I just got raped by a gang, and now, I’m gonna call Daddy and tell him that you refused to come pick me up because you’re too busy hanging out with Kimmie!”

“You what?”

“Oh, are you listening now?” she snapped. “I’m your family, and I need your help. You promised to always come get me.”

“Tara, did you get hurt?”

“Not yet, but if you don’t come here, now, I’m going to walk into the first gang infested alley I find.”

“You’re acting psycho, Tara,” he said, not understanding what was wrong with his stepsister. “What’s going on?”

“Just come get me before I do something stupid. I’ll text you where I am.” She hung up.

Jayden stared at the phone. His heart had flipped when she said she’d been hurt. Whatever mess she got herself into, she clearly needed his help, if she was going to make up crazy stories.

She was acting like his mother. Something was wrong with everyone today. Except Kimmie, the only person making sense.

Jayden returned to the booth. “Kimmie, I gotta pick up Tara. She got into some trouble.”

“What? Now?” Kimmie frowned. “We’re supposed to spend the evening together.”

“We will,” he promised. “I just need to pick her up.”

“Okay.” Kimmie was watching him closely. “You’re sure it’s just Tara? Not like … someone else?”

“What’re you talking about?” he asked. He bent down and kissed her, long and deep, until she was breathless. “Just you, baby.”

Placated, Kimmie smiled.

Jayden left her reluctantly. Sometimes, it hurt being away from Kimmie. Today was one of those days, when walking away made him ache to the point where he was tempted to call Mickey and send him to pick up Tara.

But he’d promised Tara when they entered high school that he’d always put his family first. His phone buzzed, and he glanced down.

“Coffee Loa. What on earth are you doing on that side of town, Tara?” he murmured. He programmed the address into his phone’s GPS.

He went to his car and hopped in, waiting until the interior cooled down before pulling out of the parking lot. With the guidance of the GPS voice, Jayden managed to make it to the Coffee Loa in just under thirty minutes.

He expected to see his stepsister waiting for him outside. When he didn’t, he parked as close as he could get and walked down the block to the coffee shop.

Jayden entered and breathed deeply of the scent of espresso and incense. There were two customers in the shop, both of whom looked wasted or drugged. Either way, he assessed they probably needed the huge mugs of espresso in front of them.

A pretty woman in authentic African dress sat behind the register, her eyes on the door. She smiled when he entered.

Tara wasn’t there. Irritated at being pulled away from Kimmie, Jayden crossed to the friendly looking woman at the counter.

“Hi. I’m looking for my sister. She said she was here,” he said.

“Jayden?” Tara whipped open the heavy curtain separating the coffee shop from the back. “Took you long enough.”

He looked her over, expecting to see something wrong after her phone call. She appeared to be fine.

“Come on. I left Kimmie to come get you.”

“We’re not done yet,” Tara said, glancing at the woman behind the counter. “Candace and I need to talk to you, Jay.”

“Make it quick.”

Tara waved him back behind the curtain.

“I’m Candace,” the woman in African garb said.

“Jayden.” He waited for her to duck beneath the curtain then followed.

Tara sat down at a table in the middle of an area that resembled his grandmama’s too much for him to be comfortable. A shrine to one of the gods was on one side, and veves decorated the walls and floor.

“Sit, Jay,” Tara ordered.

“Nah. Let’s just go.”

“Please, Jayden. It’s important to your sister that you sit and talk for a moment,” Candace said, her polished accent and soft voice easing his concern she’d be another crackpot like his grandmama.

He debated for a moment then sat. “What’s this about?”

“It’s about Kimmie putting curses on people,” Tara said bluntly. “She did it to Adrienne and she’s done it to you.”

“Leave Kimmie out of this,” he said firmly. “She’s the love of my life, Tara.”

“Um, no, she’s not. You broke up with her over the summer. Ask Mickey.”

He shifted, uncertain why so many people seemed to think they knew more about his life and heart than he did.

“Do you recognize her?” Tara pulled up a pic on her phone and slid it across the table to him.

Jayden glanced down then looked again, unable to pull his attention away from the angelic girl with white-blonde hair and green amethyst eyes. He knew her from somewhere. He just wasn’t certain where. She wore the cheer squad uniform from the academy, and the photo featured the girl and Tara, grinning for the camera. The picture was a self-portrait taken by Tara.

He knew all the girls on the cheer squad. Why didn’t he recognize this one?

A memory teased him, dancing just out of reach. He heard a faint ballad sung in a voice that was unfamiliar and achingly sweet, a siren song he wanted to hear more of.

“Jay?” Tara prodded.

The song slid back into the depths of his mind.

“I feel like I should know her,” he said then shook his head. “But I don’t.”

“Her name is Adrienne,” Tara said. “You were like, head over heels for her two days ago.”

“No. I’d remember that. I’ve been in love with Kimmie for years.”

Tara gave a noisy, exasperated sigh and looked to Candace expectantly.

“Do you remember these?” Candace asked, holding out the dog tags he’d been searching for Saturday.

“Of course. Grandmama Toussaint gave them to me.” He took them. “How did you get them?”

“You gave them to Adrienne,” Tara said impatiently.

He studied Adrienne’s picture again. His heart belonged to Kimmie, but if not … wow. He’d be all over the beautiful blonde.

“These have a protection spell on them. When you took them off, Kimmie’s hexes were able to take hold,” Candace explained, motioning to the tags.

“Grandmama said never to take them off.” He gazed at the necklace, puzzled as to why he did take them off. Why they ended up with a stranger he’d never met, but whom he couldn’t take his eyes off of. “I don’t believe this stuff, but would putting these back on … change anything?”

“It will prevent more hexes and the current curse from growing stronger. But they will not undo what has been done,” Candace answered. “Kimmie can lift her curse or I can help you lift it over time.”

Tara reached for her phone.

Jayden waved her hand away and pulled it closer to him, eyes on Adrienne’s photo.

“What happened to her?” he asked. “Why did she give back the dog tags?”

“Because you’re an ass, Jay,” Tara snapped. “I’ll send you the bloomin’ pic. Give me my phone.”

He rolled his eyes and slid it back to her. “So you think Kimmie what? Made me forget her?”

“Yep. And put a love spell on you so you’d go back to her.”

“That’s crazy. I’ve always loved her.” Jayden rose, uncomfortable with the talk and unhappy they were slamming Kimmie so much. “Come on, Tara, let’s go.” He turned to leave.

“Do you have any missing time? Any days where there are whole sections you simply can’t remember?” Candace asked.

Jayden froze, hand on the black curtain.

“Like where were you Saturday?” Tara added. “You left early in the morning and didn’t come back until after the party started.”

His hand dropped. He’d been thinking about it earlier today, too. Mickey asked him where he was Saturday, and so had another student from the football team.

“Okay. So I don’t know,” he admitted.

“Do you remember Friday and what Kimmie did to Adrienne?” Tara asked.

He thought hard. He remembered going to school and the football game, but there were blackouts. Like, wasn’t there a pep rally? Did he miss it for some reason?

“Here. One of the other girls sent this to me,” Tara said, handing him her phone once more. “Watch the clip.”

Jayden took it and flicked the play button. It was the pep rally.

He was there, greeting all the members of the football time that ran out of the locker room, like usual. Frustrated, he watched, unable to recall the scene at all.

The cheer squad ran back to the center of the gym. He recognized all the girls – but one. Adrienne.

She was small, slender and gorgeous. The camera zoomed in on her as she strode to the microphone. The music for the National Anthem started. She began to sing, and then suddenly, coughed loudly.

“Whoa,” he said, trying not to smile. He immediately felt bad. The look on her face made him sad for her.

She tried again and again, finally running out of the gym. Tara followed her into the locker rooms, and the clip ended.

“I don’t remember this,” he murmured. “Why?” He looked to Candace.

“Because, Jayden, you’re under a curse. Put these back on,” she instructed, handing him the dog tags. “Your grandmama is as powerful as Marie Leveau was. No one near here can do what she can.”

He accepted his necklace and pulled it on, expecting to feel different once he did.

He didn’t. He still loved Kimmie, still didn’t know who Adrienne was or why he felt like he should know her.

His phone rang. Kimmie’s name flashed, and he grinned, thrilled to hear from her. Without caring what Tara and Candace thought, he answered.

“Hey, baby,” he said.

“Where are you?” she asked.

“Picking up Tara. I’ll be back soon.”

“Hmmm. Okay. I feel like you’re ignoring me.”

“No, Kimmie. We’re leaving now,” he said, waving at Tara. “Hey, do you know an Adrienne St. Croix?”

There was a pause, then a tight, “No.”

“Oh. I thought she was on the cheer squad. I saw the video from the pep rally.”

“Oh, that Adrienne. She was on the cheer squad,” Kimmie said. “She’s a scholarship student and decided not to stay at school. Are you with someone?”

Scholarship? His dad would have a fit. The tense note in Kimmie’s voice troubled him. She was too perfect to be jealous or upset over some other girl on the cheer squad.

Even one who looked like Adrienne.

“Just Tara and one of her friends,” he replied. “I’ll give you a call in a few minutes.”

“Okay. Hurry.”

“I will.” He hung up, perplexed, and looked at Tara. “I’d never date a scholarship girl.”

“You would this one,” Tara retorted. “She’s nice. I like her.”

He raised an eyebrow. Tara didn’t like any other girl she hung out with enough to compliment her.

“Will you sit down with us?” Candace asked.

“No. I’ve gotta get back to Kimmie,” he said. “Tara, if you want a ride, you better come now. I’m not coming to get you later.”

“Let me send you back with some tea,” Candace said quickly. “You will love it. Straight from Africa.” She rose and hurried behind a second curtain leading deeper into the store.

“All right.” Jayden glanced at the time. He was beginning to feel like he was suffocating in the back room. The images from the pep rally played over and over in his mind. Before she started coughing, the girl Adrienne had sung in the same voice he heard in the back of his mind.

He knew her. The feeling was stronger, just like his concern over the missing time and blackouts grew more demanding.

Normal people didn’t black out and wake up at a gas station. He couldn’t believe Kimmie would do anything like put a curse on him, but he couldn’t explain it either. Or why he’d brushed it off before, like it was no big deal when it could be indicative of a disease or illness.

Or a curse.

He was sweating. Jayden left the stifling back room for the café. It, too, felt too warm. He lingered in front of the counter, taking in the voodoo supplies and trinkets around the café.

“You okay, Jayden?” Tara asked, following. “You look pale. For you.” She peered up at him.

“Yeah, just … dehydrated, I think.”

“Candace says you can ask Kimmie to remove the hexes she put on you and Adrienne.”

“That stuff isn’t real.” Though he was beginning to think something unnatural was going on. He just wasn’t certain what. “Where did this Adrienne girl go? I didn’t see her at school today.”

“Kimmie ran her out this morning. I came here with her. She left a couple hours ago, and I stayed to learn more about voodoo from Candace,” Tara answered. “She’s really cool.”

“Right. Daddy will throw a fit if he catches you getting involved in this stuff.”

“Like you with a poor, superstitious girl?”

I’m with Kimmie. He kept quiet. Tara was convinced he was dating Adrienne. His head was hurting a little, the heavy air of the café bothering him too much to start another argument with Tara.

A couple came in, and Jayden looked twice. The man had painted his face like a skeleton while the blonde woman with light blue eyes appeared dazed and too pale.

Druggies. He eyed them, wondering why Tara was on this side of town anyway.

A flash of red from the corner of his eye caught his attention. Jayden twisted his head to look but saw nothing there.

“Here you go, Jayden. Sip some each night before bed,” Candace said, reappearing from the back rooms. She held out a small tin he assumed was filled with tea.

“Thanks,” he said. “How much I owe you?”

“Nothing. Just promise me you’ll drink it and keep your tags on.”

“Sure.” He accepted it.

“Come back whenever you’re in the neighborhood,” Candace said with a bright smile.

He lifted the tin in a silent salute.

Tara hugged Candace, talking quietly, while Jayden started towards the door.

The woman who had just entered was staring at him. The couple had moved to a table in the middle of the coffee shop. The man sat, but the woman didn’t.

Jayden offered a quick smile and stopped at the door, waiting for Tara. He studied the plain tin then popped off the top. The light scent of jasmine and something woodsy reminded him of the garden behind his father’s house. It was a pleasing, light smell, and he took a deep breath.

“This ends now.”

He looked up, surprised to see the woman standing just two feet from him. Her glazed eyes looked just over his shoulder, and he glanced back without seeing anyone behind him.

“You won’t take me.”

“I’m sorry, what –” he started.

The woman raised a knife. Jayden’s whole world slowed down. Someone across the room shouted. Instinctively, he raised his hands to block the knife. Fire tore through one hand, and blood splattered him. Shocked by the sensation, he didn’t have a chance to defend himself a second time, yet he threw his shoulder forward and tackled her, trying to knock the woman off her feet without hurting her.

The knife pierced his back once, twice, before they hit the ground.

Jayden smelled blood, felt the fire spreading throughout his body. He rolled off the woman, gasping for air. Why did he feel like he was drowning? There was no water around him.

“Jayden!” Tara’s scream was the last sound that registered, before the world grew too blurry for him to make out.

Jayden’s eyes closed, his grandmama’s warning about someone killing him drifting through the darkness in his mind..

A damsel in distress. A white girl with white hair and eye like jewels.

Adrienne?