Witch's Wrath (Blood And Magick #3)(16)

“I don’t think anyone would have attacked you for what you said.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure. Vampires can be merciless when they want to be. Witches, too. But this is a good crowd of good people.”

I nodded as we swayed to the music. I wasn’t much of a dancer, but Remy was, so I let him lead. “Thank you for saying what you did,” I said.

“Hopefully we’ll never have to mention it again,” he said.

“No, I don’t suppose we will, thanks to you. You’ve been a great boon to this city. Everyone here owes you a debt of gratitude, at least.”

“I don’t think I did anything particularly heroic.”

“Modesty suits you, but you should take credit where credit is due. You came here from the outside, took our problems as your own, and untangled the mess.”

“New Orleans’ problems became my own the moment I bought Lumière.”

“That may be so, but you have done more in your short time here to fix the divide not just present between us and vampires, but between us and ourselves, than any other witch who was ever born here. I have been a colossal fool, and you helped me to realize that.”

“Yeah, you were… among other things.”

“I deserve that.”

“You do. And more. But no one can deny what you have done for the city; what you during Katrina, how you tried to fight the storm off with your magick, and then how you helped the people most affected by the devastation. A lot of people owe you their lives.”

“Too bad helping them won’t bring Eliza back.”

“Maybe not, but that isn’t the point.”

My concentration drifted again, and I found myself searching for Jared. I found Nicole, Emmett, and Dean all drinking Hurricane cocktails at the bar. They looked like they were having a good time chatting and laughing. But I couldn’t find Jared.

Remy’s eyes narrowed. “You look distracted.”

My eyes focused on his again. “Sorry, I don’t mean to be.”

“You know… the demon-blood kid is alright.”

“What?” I asked as a smile forced my face to light up, and my cheeks to burn red.

“Jared,” Remy said, “He isn’t a bad kid. You should give him a chance.”

The smile continued to beam out of me, but I rolled my eyes. “I appreciate what you’re saying, but…”

“But?”

“I really don’t know how I feel about him.”

“I think that’s a good reason to go and find out, don’t you?”

“I… guess.”

Remy looked around. “Did he come tonight?”

“You know he did, but he’s… outside with someone else.”

He slipped his hand off my waist. “Then maybe you should go and find him,” he said, with a sly wink.

Remy moved away into the crowd with a smirk on his face before I could protest. The tightness in my chest was real, as were the butterflies in my stomach. I turned around and headed toward the open doors leading onto the patio, feeling like everyone’s eyes were on me as I walked. And maybe they were. All I could do now was hope for a little bit of Remy’s confidence as I stepped into the warm night air in search of Jared.





CHAPTER EIGHT


I was used to the French Quarter where the lots were so tightly packed most of the buildings rubbed shoulders. Out here in the Garden District, though, the rule was fewer than four lots per block, which allowed for plenty of room for personal gardens complete with fountains, benches, and gazebos.

This was one such house.

The smell of freshly cut grass and wet flowers was thick in the air. A stone path led around the house and toward a fountain with a cherub facade set into the center of the garden. A single jet of water arched up and out of its mouth, only to fall back into the base of the fountain. Around it, a duo of benches had been arranged where couples could sit and talk the night away.

There were people out here—witches enjoying a cigarette with their glass of wine and conversation, lovers strolling hand in hand, acquaintances getting to know each other. This was the place to go for a little privacy. It was around the fountain where I spotted Jared and Jennifer. They were walking along the tiled path together, her doing most of the talking, and he… did he seem a little uninterested?

“Alright, Madison,” I said to myself, “Just go.”

I approached, marching toward them at first, then softening my steps as I got nearer. The blonde witch spotted me, and although I couldn’t recognize her, she must have known who I was, and maybe that was why her gaze seemed more threatening than it should have been. Jared turned then, and smile when he saw me.

“Hey,” I said, “Sorry about earlier, I had guests to greet.”

“It’s alright,” Jared said, “This is your night.”

“No, it’s our night, I’m just facilitating it.”

“Excuse me,” Jennifer said, putting a hand on her hip, “We were talking?”

Excuse me? I thought. “Alright,” I said, “But I need to borrow Jared for a minute; something more important needs his attention.”

“Borrow?” he asked, as if he hadn’t understood the word.

“Yeah, I need your help inside.”