“What the fuck?” Enola muttered under her breath to Margo.
“What?” Margo shrugged. “Y’all gotta know everything about me?”
“She’s a siren,” Ruby said, astonished.
A what?
She didn’t get a chance to inquire out loud because the priest was standing in front of them, and Enola could see the evil in his eyes. He had set out to destroy their entire line for more than a century, and they still didn’t know why.
“Sit,” Margo ordered, walking past the priest.
The priest struggled against his urged to sit, but ultimately planted his ass in the grass. Margo walked over to Gabriel, dropped to one knee, and ran her fingers through his thick fur.
“He’s all yours,” she whispered to him.
Gabriel licked her chin and strolled passed her. The other wolves, including Gideon, stalked towards the petrified priest. Enola felt a strong sense of satisfaction that Gabriel would finally have his revenge.
‘Your time has come.’
Her gran’s voice in her head prompted Enola to turn towards the house. From where Enola was, she could see that she was smiling.
‘I’m so very proud of you, baby. I love you.’
‘I love you too, Gran.’
Enola smiled up at her beautiful grandmother. Knowing that she’d made her proud gave Enola a feeling that she wished she could have over and over again. Unfortunately, the feeling ended abruptly when her grandmother collapsed on the balcony.
“Nooooo!”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
It certainly hadn’t been a typical Louisiana funeral, unless of course the decedent was royalty. And judging from the influx of Louisiana dignitaries, Marie Roux was definitely Creolean royalty. Enola wasn’t surprised by the mayor’s appearance, but when she learned that the governor was in attendance, admittedly, she was surprised.
After the funeral service, Enola, Ruby, and Margo, dressed in all black, followed the horse drawn hearse to the cemetery. She barely heard the somber music, played by the NOLA City Jazz Band, as they approached her gran’s final resting place. Gideon placed his hand on Enola’s shoulder. He’d done that often throughout the day, just to let her know that he was behind her. She didn’t turn around, but she placed her hand over his, taking great comfort in his touch.
Once her gran was laid to rest, Enola and her family, accompanied by the Toussaint wolves, decided to forego the large celebratory parade through the streets of New Orleans known as the “second line.” They had more important business to attend to.
Gideon led them out of the cemetery and into a dark SUV. The drive to Black Water Bayou was somber, but short. Gideon drove the entire way with his hand over Enola’s, and she spent the entire time staring out of the window. Memories of her gran played like a movie in her mind, each memory better than the last.
Gideon pulled over near the tree line. He hopped out of the SUV and opened the door for the ladies. Enola and her family followed Gideon to the cargo van that had followed them to the bayou. Boone hopped out of the van and opened the back door. Inside was the priest, or what was left of the priest after the wolves were done torturing him. He was a torn, bloody mess.
Gabriel climbed out of the passenger seat and walked around the van. He reached inside, grabbed the priest by the back of his neck, and yanked him out of the van. The priest yelped as he hit the ground in a thud. Gabriel had no mercy. He grabbed him by the hair and dragged him through the dirt.
Enola and the rest followed Gabriel through the trees until they made it to a clearing. They were in the exact same spot where Auriette Moreau was executed. Boone had already prepared a wooden stake. The priest began to scream for help the moment he saw his method of execution.
“Shut up!” Margo demanded.
The priest’s lips snapped shut. He was quivering as if the compulsion was physically painful.
“What God would give Margo this power?” Ruby muttered humorously.
Ruby’s words were Enola’s exact sentiments but she kept her mouth shut and watched, with pleasure, as Boone used a thick rope to bind their enemy to the wooden stake. Once the priest was securely bound, Gabriel approached the priest and asked, “Why?”
“Why?” the priest parroted.
“Why did you murder my woman, witch?” Gabriel gritted.
“She was my woman!” the priest bellowed.
