Malevolence - Legacy Series Book Two (The Legacy Series) (7 page)

           
“Oh, sorry; I didn’t realize I was thinking in
pack
, it was ‘The Haunted Palace’, I’m not sure why it popped in my head.
  
It’s a Poe poem, I’m not exactly known for quoting poetry at random times.”
 
I stopped for a second to wrap my scarf tighter around my neck, blocking out the spaces between my hat and collar.

           
We walked around taking in the gothic tombs and wrought iron fences.
 
I wondered how many of the graves belonged to supernaturals from another time.
 
The sizes of the tombs were so much taller than Gus and the ominous feeling it evoked put my senses on guard.
 

           
“I didn’t expect there to be so many trees, did you?”
 
I asked him.

           
“No, not at all.
 
Did you see that grave of Francois Felix Faure?
 
It was creepy how they did the stone as a statue of him as if they poured concrete over his corpse.
 
I hope no one ever does that to me.”
 
He smirked a little.

           
“Oh,
eww
I got a visual of that.”
 
I shuddered “come on, I think it is towards the back on the right hand side.”
 
We walked up a set of moss covered stairs and onto a narrow path.
 
The graves in the Oklahoma cemeteries were all underground.
 
The only place I’d ever seen the above ground tombs was in Louisiana.
 
“Can you read that street sign?
 
We are looking for
Transversale
2.”

           
A man dressed in coveralls with dirt caked on the knees stepped out from behind one of the moss covered tombs.
 
“You’re not far mademoiselle, keep going straight.
 
What forgotten soul are you looking for?”
 
The man asked in a heavy French accent.
 

           
I
calmed
my jittery nerves and said, “I’m looking for the graves for the family of Mr. Pascale
Norwid
.”

           
The man’s eyes grew wide and he stepped closer with his finger to his lips.
 
“
Shhh
, you don’t want to announce that name out loud.
 
You should turn back and go find a nice café to see, or go find the grave of Mr. James Morrison.
 
Let me take you there.”
 
The man whispered.

           
I shook my head no and whispered back “we’re doing some research, we aren’t here to disturb any curses the graves may have.
 
My friend here, he studies the supernatural,” I said as I looped my arm through Gus’.
 

           
“As long as you are aware… you can’t say that you haven’t been warned.
 
As I said, it is straight away.
 
You may want to think twice before…..”
 
He didn’t finish the sentence, only shook his head and walked away.

           
“Well, that was interesting.” I say as we started weaving in and out of the graves hoping it was a shortcut to the plot.

           
With my arm still looped through Gus’ he periodically pulled me closer to steady me on the uneven ground.
 
“Pru, you are definitely fearless.”
 
We both looked up and come to a halt at the same time.

           
“
How did she get here?
 
I know she didn’t get off at the same stop we did.
 
Can anything today go as planned?”
 
  
I thought to Gus.

           
“As they say, the plot thickens.
 
Yes, that was my feeble attempt at being funny.”
 
Gus pulled his arm from me so we could both be prepared to shift if needed.

           
No more than ten feet in front of us stood the girl from the Metro, her skirt right below her knees with leather lace up boots with frayed fringe blowing in the breeze that came from nowhere.
 
The amulet around her neck was glowing a deep teal blue; the same color as her eyes.
 

           
“Stay cool, I don’t know WHO she has with her but I’m sure someone is watching.
 
She would be a total fool if she came alone.”
 
I mentally braced myself for the next five minutes of my life.

           
“Well, well.
 
It took you two long enough.
 
I thought I’d have to send a search crew out.
 
Imagine the headlines, two werewolves lost in Paris,” she said with a cocky confidence.

           
“
Exactly what I was hoping for, a bitchy museum chick and now some rabid witch.”
 
I thought to Gus.
 
“And you are?”
 
I asked.

           
She puts her finger to her lips tapping them for a dramatic effect. “I am either going to be your biggest enemy while you’re visiting Paris, or I’m going to be your biggest ally.
 
You make the choice, I’m cool either way,” she said curtly.
 
“Zany, my name is Zany.”
 
She pushed her bangs to the side with her un-manicured hand.
 
Her pitch black hair, cut to frame her face, highlighted her haunting teal eyes.
 
“You’re Pru Phelan but I don’t know who your amazingly hot friend is.”
 
She smiled as she eyed Gus up and down as if he were a decadent chocolate treat.

           
“Kudos to you, my
friend
is Gus.
 
More importantly, why are you following us?”
 
I asked, taking note of every single grave and leaf on the ground.

           
“Technically, I’m not following you.
 
I got here first.”
 
She smiled flashing her deep inset dimples.
 
“You’re asking for trouble trying to dig up dirt on the vampires.
 
I heard about your visit to the vampire museum.
 
I didn’t expect you to actually be dumb enough to come to the cemetery but there you were on the Metro, advertising you’re in town.”
 
She walked closer closing the gap between us.
 
“Mr.
Norwid
would like to meet with you this evening at Hotel De
Crillon
in the Les
Ambassadeurs
room.
 
The event is black tie and ball gown; I’m guessing
Gus
will be your plus one.”
 
She said as she pressed her heavily
lipsticked
lips together.

           
“What time?”
 
I asked, obviously I wasn’t in a position to turn her down.
 
I was one step closer to knowing what happened to my father.

           
She handed me a business card with the address and time on it.
 
“So I can tell him you’ll be there?”
 

           
“I’m curious about something, why is a witch hanging around vampires?
 
You reek of cloves and sage and the amulet is a pretty good giveaway,” I said tilting my head slightly to get a good whiff of her.

           
She crossed her arms and walked a circle around us as she checked us out from head to toe.
 
“You’re not exactly what I’d expect when I think of a werewolf.
 
Your red hair must be natural with an Irish surname like yours.
 
By the way, I’m not
hanging
out with vampires, but I do show my respect for them.
 
It is better to keep them happy and not upset the peace between supernaturals.”
 
Her eyes grew wide as she looked behind us and brought attention to the man that appeared out of nowhere.
 
“I’ve got this under control Seth,” she said through gritted teeth.

           
Directly behind Gus was a short round and balding man.
 
He must have been in his forties or even his fifties, given the fact his face was heavily lined and he had puffy bags under his eyes.

           
“You call this control?”
 
He demanded, his eyes were ringed in red and he pointed to where Gus and I were standing.

           
“
What is he?”
 
I thought to Gus.

           
“
He’s a demon.
 
I don’t know how he is on hallowed ground.
 
This day gets better and better.”
 
Gus replied.
 

           
“This is Seth, and he is about to leave.
 
He knows he can’t step any closer, if you notice there is a drain where he is.
 
He is here on a technicality. When they had to place the drains in the cemetery they shipped in dirt, they never went back and blessed the drains.
 
Seth is a straggler demon… nothing but some higher levels bitch.”
 
Zany said emphasizing every word.

           
A fireball appeared out of Seth’s outstretched hand “someone’s bitch?
 
Would you like to see if you go up in flames like the witch from Oz?”
 
He said as he bounced the ball from hand to hand.
 

           
Gus started growling from deep within his chest, his hands were clinched into fists as he controlled himself from shifting.
 
“
Stay cool Gus, we’ve got this under control.”
I said to him. I turned sideways not wanting to put my back to either one of them.
 
“I don’t know what is going on, but I’m not
diggin
’ this whole demon in the cemetery vibe.”
 
I turned to face Zany “I’m not exactly excited about the witch in the cemetery either.
 
You can tell him I will be at his soirée.
 
I will be a plus three though, in light of this little get together I have no choice.
 
Now, if you both will leave, I can finish what I came here for.”

           
Zany turned her attention to Seth, raising both hands as she said a short incantation and two lightning bolts shot from her fingertips and in an instant Seth went up in flames.
 
As fast as it started it was over, Seth lay in a pile of ashes on the sewer cover.

           
“Impressive,” I said to Zany.

           
“Thanks, but I don’t feel happy about the way this turned out.
 
He would have killed you on your way out.
 
The minute your back was to him, he would have thrown two fireballs and killed you both.
 
As I said before, I can be your enemy or friend…. you decide.”
 
She wiped her hands on her skirt and fidgeted with her amulet before saying good-bye.

Chapter 8.
 
Relax

“And as they were so weary that their legs would carry them no longer, they lay down beneath a tree and fell asleep.”
 
Hansel and Gretel ~ Grimm’s Household Tales

           
Only three small steps and heaven was mine.
 
I dipped my toe into the water making sure it was nice and hot. The bubbles enveloped my freshly painted toes; the heat was so tempting I lost all patience and stepped all the way into the water.
 
I’d lit every single candle I could find in the apartment and framed the enormous round bathtub with the sweet aroma of baked apples.
 
My mom was meeting the designer that was bringing over a few gowns for the ball tonight.
 
I couldn’t spend another minute looking at the dresses; I was too damn mad that I was forced to go to the dance hosted by a vampire.
 
I held my breath and slid under the water.
 
I rolled over on my stomach like a mermaid, raising my head to get another breath.