“I did not. Only that an energy portal seems to have been opened.”
Miss Elva whipped her head up at that news, then speared a piece of steak with her fork.
“Why is it that I have to take care of everything that goes wrong in this town?” she muttered to herself.
“Because you’re the boss queen of the world?” I asked, being more than slightly sarcastic.
Miss Elva pointed her fork at me.
“And don’t you forget it.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
“I literally hatethis,”I complained as I crept the car along the gravel path towards the beach. The sun had just set, leaving us in the shadow of twilight as we bumped down the gravel road towards the beach. I’d kept my lights on, because, well, why try to hide? We’d been invited – that is, ordered – to come to the beach.
My anxiety was running at about a ten, so I took a few deep breaths to calm myself.
“Don’t you worry, child, that Horace has nothing on us,” Miss Elva said soothingly.
“Except for the fact that he’s opened a portal to hell and has, like, demonic power now. You know, no big deal,” I muttered, and Miss Elva chuckled next to me.
“You think this is the first demon Miss Elva’s had to show what’s what? Child, please,” Miss Elva clucked her tongue at me and I had to smile.
I mean, if I had to battle a demon, I’d pick Miss Elva at my side any day.
We drove as far along the lane as we could, almostreaching the beach. Remembering how Luna had faced the car out the other night, I did a quick three point turn in the small lane and pointed the car back towards the road. Miss Elva nodded her approval and then we got out of the car, Rafe bringing up the rear.
The ocean was quiet tonight, the tide having just finished coming in. A light breeze brushed against me, bringing that salty swampy smell of saltwater with it, and I reached out to grab Miss Elva’s hand as we stepped onto the empty beach.
I couldn’t believe I was doing this. Just putting myself out there to get shot in the chest. As soon as the thought came to me, I invoked my white bubble of protection and slammed it down over Miss Elva and myself, just in case.
A pinging sound brought my head up and I jumped as something seemed to ripple in the air and then breeze past me.
“What was that?” I gasped.
“Someone just shot at us. Your little protective bubble is holding up nicely. I’m impressed,” Miss Elva nodded easily and I wanted to scream at her.
Someone had just shot at us and Miss Elva was complimenting my magick?
Miss Elva turned to the empty beach, facing the direction the bullets had come from.
“I know you didn’t just try and shoot at us. You’ll have to do better than that. Why don’t you show yourself, you coward? You asked us to come here; well, we’re here.”
“Oh, that’s good. I’m sure calling a killer a coward is going to make him more amenable to handing Luna off,” Iswore, keeping a hold on that protective bubble as we stepped forward.
Another ping and I jumped again as my protective bubble rippled. I noticed this was all happening on my side of the bubble – now I was mad.
“Oh, so it’s just me you want to kill? Right, that’s great – right sporting of you,” I yelled at the bushes. “Can’t you do something here, Miss Elva? I’m kind of busy stopping bullets in mid-air,” I griped. Jeez, bring a voodoo priestess to a fight and she just antagonizes the killer.
Miss Elva cast me a look and then dug in her satchel, pulling out a small bag. She dumped powder onto her hand and then, closing her eyes, blew it gently from her palm.
“Illuminate,” she whispered.
The powder seemed to sparkle of its own accord, wafting on the breeze across the beach, and settling onto the sand and the bushes. I gasped; in moments, the entire beach was lit up brighter than a football field. I turned to Miss Elva in admiration.
“Good one,” I said, nodding at her.
“I try,” Miss Elva said, smirking as we drew closer to where we could now see a man standing next to a body on the sand. My heart jumped in my throat to see a swath of Luna’s bright blonde hair in the sand, but then I saw her leg move and realized that she was still alive. Thank the Goddess.
