Black Heart Loa by Adrian Phoenix

Author:Adrian Phoenix [Phoenix, Adrian]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781439167922
Google: ybbhzSkGA54C
Amazon: 1439167923
Publisher: Bill
Published: 0101-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-THREE

CIRCLE OF PROTECTION

Kallie woke from her doze when Belladonna pulled into the small lot behind Divinity’s Circle of Protection botanica and glided the Dodge Dart to a halt in the slot farthest from the trash bin. Aside from Gabrielle’s ancient orange VW Bug, the lot was empty.

“Thanks for helping keep me awake during the drive,” Belladonna said, looking into the rearview mirror. “Without your constant and unladylike snoring keeping me bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, I probably would’ve driven us off a cliff.”

“A cliff? Between Chacahoula and Bayou Cyprés Noir? Where?”

“I’m sure there’s a cliff somewhere. And asleep, I would’ve found it and driven us to our doom. Guaranteed.”

“Well, then. Ça fait pas rien, and thanks for not killing us.”

Belladonna yawned. “No problem, Shug.”

Rubbing a hand over her face, Kallie tried to wipe away her lingering sleepiness and failed. She sat up and unstrapped her seat belt. Her brief sleep had left her feeling more tired than before, her thinking fuzzy, and she wished now that she’d managed to keep her eyes open during the drive back to Bayou Cyprés Noir.

Kallie looked at Layne and confirmed that he was still out, his honey-blond dreads coiling onto the backseat and floorboard. His breathing was low and easy, and his face—blond whiskers indicating his need for a shave—relaxed.

Well, that’s one good thing, at least.

The sky beyond the windshield was still gray and ragged with storm clouds, but at least it was no longer raining. Kallie guessed that it was getting close to noon, and on a normal day, she and her ti-tante would’ve opened the botanica at ten.

But this was goddamned far from a normal day.

The closed-in air of the car smelled of jasmine, old french fries, leather, and sandalwood. And although the greasy french fry aroma reminded Kallie that she hadn’t eaten since early evening the night before, she didn’t feel hungry. She actually felt queasy, instead. Too little sleep, too much stress, pure appetite killer.

“After we haul Mr. Sexy Nomad inside, you want to go up to my place and take a shower while your aunt is looking him over?” Belladonna asked. “Give you a chance to catch a second wind or even take a real nap.”

Kallie looked at the stairs leading to the flat above the botanica that Belladonna rented from Divinity. As blissful as a nap sounded, Kallie didn’t want to sleep until she knew Layne’s condition and had a chance to talk with her aunt about loups-garous, loas, and exorcisms. But a shower, on the other hand …

Tapping a finger against her lips, Kallie mentally reviewed recent sleepovers and decided that, yup, she’d left clothes at the apartment on several occasions. If she was wrong, she could always roll up a pair of Belladonna’s jeans or wear one of her tunics as a minidress.

“I like that idea, Bell. Wanna do a coin toss to see who showers first?”

“How about rock-paper-scissors?”

“Sure.”

Kallie leaned forward between the seats, shivering as her side brushed Layne’s leather-jacketed shoulder. She tried not to think about skin-on-skin contact.

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