Damn, Grace is back. “Did you bring dogs, Mambo?”
“Papa Legba sent the hounds. I simply showed them the way.”
Two large dogs raced past Luc. Big as they were, he could tell they were still pups. They’d not yet grown into their huge paws. One had a white spot beside its nose. The entire left ear of the second animal was white. Otherwise, their coats were a deep chocolate brown. They settled one on each side of the mambo, tails thumping a tattoo on the dirt.
"Ah, there you are." Mambo Ayezan knelt to scratch, rub and stroke the furry heads. “Thank you, friends of Papa Legba, for watching over this spirit in his care.”
“What’s going on here?” Grace ran into the space under the oak branches. Spectral power made Luc fast. However, in that moment, he was not fast enough. Grace walked right through him.
Energy lanced into him, like lightning but magnified. The sensation disoriented him so much, he could do nothing but stare as Grace leveled her rifle at Mambo Ayezan, and his entire being—weary from a day resisting his cursed limits—was yanked away to theOnly Love.
***
The dogs stood, slinking toward Grace.
“Mars, Mercury, heel,” the old woman ordered.
The canines froze but looked at Grace and whined. However, they remained where the wizened, bent woman could pet them.
“Go now, my friends, do as Papa Legba wants,” she said, with one final pat to each of their heads.
Together, the pups rose again, and trotted to sit beside Grace.
She refused to let them distract her.
The stranger watched, leaning heavily on the knobby, wooden staff that must’ve been half again as tall as she was.
“Who are you? What do you want atSweet Dreams?” Grace demanded.
“My name is Mambo Erzuli Ayezan. I am here for you.”
“A Mambo? My aunt told me about Mambos and Hougans. Enough that I wanted to learn more and did some research when I was older.” Curiosity warred with suspicion and some fear at the woman’s invasion.
“I remember your Aunt Sarah well. As I do your Mama and Pa.”
Grace’s grip on the rifle loosened, and the barrel pointed at the ground. “You knew them?” The longing to hear more of her parents nearly overcame her distrust of the stranger.
“I knew of them. We met once or twice on the street in New Orleans. However, they would not have recognized me as a friend.”
“That makes no sense. Unless you were their enemy.” Impatient with the old woman’s hogwash, Grace leveled the rifle once more.
“Only evil makes enemies out of kindness. Your family were very kind folk,” The mambo said.
“Anyone could say that.” Grace wanted to believe the old woman, but too much betrayal and pain had killed any impulse to trust easily. “What are you doing here?”
“It is urgent that you and I talk. Please, may we go into your kitchen and sit? The walk from New Orleans took many hours, and I am cold.”
“You walked all the way from New Orleans?” She resisted the urge to gape, but only because she wanted to be polite.
“That’s the best way to put it.”
Grace pointed the rifle upward. She might not believe everything this woman said, but she doubted very much anyone so frail could do much harm. “A woman in your condition should not do such things. Yes, come to the kitchen. I’ll make tea, and you can tell me what this urgent matter is. You can stay the night if you wish. I have a delivery coming tomorrow. I’ll ask the driver to take you back to Duval Point once he unloads my order.”
“Thank you, Grace Thibodaux. Your mama and pa are proud of the woman you have become.” As she spoke, she moved slowly down the lane toward the house. Grace stayed close. The woman was so fragile, a good breeze could carry her off. The dogs were content to walk beside them, not racing eagerly to the next thing.
When they reached the kitchen, the mambo was breathing heavily. Grace helped her into a chair at the kitchen table.
“Mars, Mercury, rest,” the ancient woman ordered, while inhaling deep breaths.
