The Hoodoo Apprentice: Allure Part 15

Taneea is at the wheel of a hot-pink pickup truck with giant monster tires and matching pinwheel spinners that rotate counterclockwise. The truck chews up the road, spitting dirt, gravel, and rocks in all directions until she slams on the brakes a couple feet from Miss Delia's white picket fence. She cuts the motor, then beeps the horn again as if we didn't hear it the first time.

I climb down from my stepladder and gape at the cotton-candy monstrosity on the lawn, then steal a glance at Miss Delia. Her expression is hard and angry. And frankly, terrifying.

"What in the world is going on here?" Her voice resonates with fury.

I shake my head. "No clue."

Another engine, this one familiar, rumbles nearby. A second later, Cooper's beige station wagon glides around the bend in the road, driving considerably slower and more safely than the pickup did a few moments ago. He pulls up to the gate beside the truck. He's not alone. Jack's in the front pa.s.senger seat, his arms crossed and brows pinched. They exchange a few words before Jack climbs out, slams the door, and mutters to himself as he makes his way up the garden path. Cooper heads straight to the truck's driver's side and extends his hand to help Taneea clamber down from the giant vehicle.

Is she kidding? It's not that high. If she can't get out, she's got no business driving it in the first place.

Stomping up the porch steps, Jack stands between me and Miss Delia. "I'm sorry, Em. He called me early this morning to go out on the boat. On our way there, she called wanting to go car shopping. The next thing I knew she was in the front seat and we were driving her to every dealer in Charleston."

"Don't worry. I get it."

He shakes his head. "No, I don't think you do." His voice wavers with apprehension.

Taneea opens the door and extends her bare legs from the cab, setting her matching hot-pink espadrilles on the running board. Standing straight up, she slings her ugly purse over her shoulder and loses her balance, squealing as she totters into Cooper's awaiting arms. Nestled securely in his st.u.r.dy biceps, she throws her head back and erupts in peals of laughter. The sound is like the tinkling of a thousand tiny shards of gla.s.s.

Supersonic rage ignites in my gut and then explodes through my body. My fists clench, toes curl, and cheeks burn as my vision literally flashes red. I tremble, straining to contain the deep scream that's working its way up my throat. Jack doesn't need his twin sense to know I'm about to blow.

He grabs hold of my arms, boring into my eyes. "Don't give her the satisfaction."

Somehow the cool blue of his eyes penetrates the lava swirling through my mind. I take a breath and realize it's the first I've drawn since she fell out of the cab. Jack's right. I can't go crazy in front of her. Later, when I'm alone with Cooper, most definitely. But not now. It will only make her feel like she's won. Dragging a few deep breaths into my aching lungs, I work to screw my lips into a smile and watch as Cooper sets her on the ground, steadying her once again because evidently she can't take a step without falling. Which of course is another load of c.r.a.p designed to make her look weak and defenseless and in need of Cooper's aid. Pathetic.

Giggling, she adjusts her black corset top and miniskirt, then waves. "Hey, did you see my new truck?"

"How could we miss it?" The astronauts can probably see it from the s.p.a.ce station.

Miss Delia's nostrils flare. She's rounded the bend past irate, and is now at full-on seething.

Cooper and Taneea finally make their way up the porch.

"So what do you think?" Taneea asks.

"I think you're going to call whoever let you borrow that eyesore and tell them to get it off my property."

She scoffs. "I didn't borrow it, Great-gran. It's mine."

"Really? And how'd you manage that?" Miss Delia asks.

"I just picked it up at the dealer. Cooper helped me choose the color. I couldn't decide between this or a black one with pink running stripes."

He smiles. "I figure if you're going to get a truck like that, you might as well go all out."

"Is that so?" I plant my hands on my hips.

He nods. "Yeah." His eyes are nearly colorless, a frosty gray that reminds me of ice. And from the oblivious grin on his face, he doesn't seem to have the faintest clue of why I might be upset.

My jaw drops as I stare at him, transfixed by the strange hue of his irises. His eyes have always appeared to change shades, but I've never seen this one, ever. It's cold. Lifeless. Perhaps even soulless. A chill ripples through me. Is this proof that the Beaumont Curse has begun to set in?

Cooper turns his attention back to Taneea, as if I'm not even here.

I glance at Jack who looks equally perplexed. He leans over and whispers, "I don't know what to tell you. He's been like this all day."

Miss Delia tilts her head. "How'd you buy the truck, Taneea?"

Jutting her jaw, she meets her great-grandmother's gaze. "With money."

Narrowing her lid over her good eye, she points her gnarled index finger at Taneea. "Where did you get the money?"

A stiff breeze whips around the front yard, shaking the bottle tree. The branches bend and sway, causing the bottles to swing farther then I've ever seen. A few slam together, smas.h.i.+ng on contact, their broken pieces crash to the ground. A fat crow squawks, then zooms off one of the low-lying branches, nearly grazing the porch roof on its escape.

Taneea's shoulders tense as she spins to look at the front yard. "What just happened?"

"The beginning of something far worse if you don't start talking," Miss Delia answers.

I gulp. I didn't know Miss Delia could control the elements with her mind. I thought the weather stuff was just a side effect of doing magic, not a part of it. Jeez, every time I think I understand hoodoo, I realize I don't know the half of it.

Taneea shakes her head as a nervous laugh escapes her lips. "You're bluffing. You can't make the wind blow."

"Oh no?" Miss Delia looks out onto the lawn and turns her eyes skyward. Thunder booms above the bottle tree.

My heart jolts. I clutch my chest but stay rooted in place while Cooper steps back and grabs the porch railing.

"I'm out of here." Jack throws open the porch door and races into the living room.

Taneea cowers, inching backward.

"You going to answer me?" Miss Delia levels her gaze at her great-granddaughter.

"I don't have to tell you. All that matters is it's mine." Taneea tugs her purse straps over her shoulder. The alligator-foot key fob dangles from the chain connected to the purse.

Miss Delia's eyes bulge. "An alligator foot! You've been gambling. And you dipped into my spell book to do it."

So that explains the powder caked in the spine.

Taneea lifts her chin. "So?"

Miss Delia flicks the joystick on her wheelchair and zooms close. "So? Do you think I don't know where you've been playing cards and dice? Backroom clubs and other secret places filled with shady characters. Not to mention, tricking hard-working folk out of their money."

"Please, most of the dupes are rich tourists who come down from Hilton Head looking for some action."

"You don't know what you're playing with, girl. Forces you couldn't possibly understand."

Taneea stands her ground. "And whose fault is that? You won't teach me."

"This is my house. I alone choose to whom I'll pa.s.s my mantle."

"But you haven't given me a chance. How do you know I couldn't be great at it?" Taneea's voice breaks.

"Hoodoo isn't for everyone. It's not enough to want it. You've got to be ready for it, mind, body, and soul. You're not there, yet, child. You may never be."

Taneea lets loose a humorless laugh. "Oh but she is? She's not even family." She thrusts an accusing finger at me.

Why the heck is she dragging me into this? I'm not the one who broke the rules and worked magic on the sly. Technically.

Miss Delia leans forward. "She doesn't need to be. Her heart is pure."

Taneea recoils as if she's been slapped across the face. "You don't think mine is?"

Miss Delia shakes her head. "No."

Taneea's eyes flood with fluid. Though she deserves all the trouble that's coming her way, my heart can't help but crack a little for her pain. Miss Delia's words are harsh, and though true, still sting. But Taneea's not about to give in. Throwing her shoulders back, she looks indignant. "How can you say that? You don't know the first thing about me." Her lip trembles.

"That's where you're wrong. I've seen enough in my ninety-seven years to know where you've been and where you're headed. You broke my rules to get your hands on a spell book. And what did you do with that power? Cheated people out of money to buy yourself a bag and truck. That there is selfishness, through and through. And not anything I want in my kitchen."

Taneea's eyes turn dark and cold. "Well, then I'll save you the trouble. I don't need you to teach me anyway. As you said, I learned on my own. And with a little extra help from a friend of mine, I won what I needed for that truck and then some."

"Trust me. Anyone who'd teach you that kind of magic is no friend of yours. You're messing with fire you can't put out." Miss Delia's voice softens.

Taneea rolls her eyes. "Ooh, I'm so scared. You just want to control me just like my mother and her loser husband. Well guess what? It won't work because you're not the only magic expert around here. So you and Emma can have all the fun you want. I don't need you anyway." She shoots me a sideways glare.

Miss Delia leans her forearms against her chair rests. "Did Claude tell you that?"

Her lips part in a sly grin. "Wouldn't you love to know? Too bad you won't find out." She races down the porch steps, through the garden and gate, then jumps up on the running board, throws open the truck door, and jumps into the cab.

Looks like she's pretty agile on those shoes, after all.

The engine revs. A second later, the wheels squeal as they spin in reverse, chewing up gra.s.s and clumps of dirt as the truck backs up. The gears crunch as she s.h.i.+fts into first, then slams on the accelerator, causing puffs of smoke to rise from the wheel wells. When the transmission shrieks, begging for more power, she s.h.i.+fts into second, then third as she speeds down the road.

Jack steps back onto the porch from the relative safety of the living room. "What is her problem?"

Miss Delia sucks her teeth. "She's lost. Lord knows, I've tried to reach her, but sometimes the damage is too great and some folk don't want to be found. Excuse me, I've got to rest before I figure out how to explain this mess to her maamy."

Cooper whips around. "Don't do that. Give her another chance. She's just upset because no one understands her and she hasn't felt very welcomed around here."

Miss Delia shakes her head. "I'll have to think on it. I'm a tired, old woman. I'm not sure I can handle any more of her funny business. Please get the door for me."

I want to ask her how she did that nature-element-control thing but realize it can wait. She needs a nap and it's not like I need to mess with the weather any time soon.

Cooper pulls open the screen door and she drives her wheelchair through.

When she's safety inside and out of earshot, Jack steps to Cooper, "What's your deal, bro?"

Cooper squares his chest. "What do you mean?"

"No one understands her? She hasn't felt welcomed?" Jack mocks Cooper's words. "Are you kidding? I just spent the whole day with her. Believe me, I get her. She's one of the most obnoxious people I've ever met."

"And she's been horrible to Miss Delia. She deserves to get sent back to Chicago for breaking the rules," I add, but Cooper doesn't seem to hear me.

Instead he takes a step toward Jack. "You're just like everyone else. She's awesome. I'm sorry you can't see that."

"Dude, you need some serious help if you can't see through her whining, fake flirting, and snotty att.i.tude. Today was the worst day of the summer and that includes every time a chunk of my arm fell off. I only went to the dealers.h.i.+ps because you wouldn't let me out of the car. Now that it's over, I'm done. I'm never hanging out with her again."

Cooper's eyes flicker with white-hot light and his chest expands to twice the width of Jack's. "She'll come with us whenever I want. It's not up to you."

My heart skips. And not in a good way. The niggling fear from yesterday rears its ugly head again. Is there a bigger reason he wants her around? Like, maybe he's interested in her as more than a friend? Or, given his father's wandering and soulless eye, is this another reason to think the Beaumont Curse might be making an early move?

Jack's jaw opens and then shuts. "Congratulations, jerkwad, you just sounded exactly like Beau. But guess what? I'm not my father so you don't get to order me around like your servant."

Cooper's fist clenches and his breath comes in short, quick puffs like a bull about to charge. "How dare you?"

Jack takes a long stride forward. "Easy, bro. I just open my mouth and say it."

"Whoa!" Without thinking, I race to wedge my body between them. Planting my palms on their chests, I push hard in both directions, forcing them apart. Caught in the crossfire of their laser-like glares, I suddenly realize how stupid I am to have put myself in this dangerous position. If they come to blows, I'm liable to get a black eye or worse. A low growl rumbles in Cooper's throat. "Knock it off, you idiots!" I grunt and lean hard against Cooper's tight abs. But like elk with locked horns, they don't budge. "Stop it. Please!" My voice breaks.

Jack backs down first, crossing the porch and clomping down the steps and through the garden on his way to cool off under the bottle tree.

I search Cooper's faint gray gaze. "What is wrong with you? Since when do you talk to Jack like that? Or let Taneea come between us?" I'm almost afraid to hear his answer.

He trains his frozen stare on me. His lips are mashed in a hard, unforgiving line, as if he's holding back a string of insults so withering they'd slay me on contact. But then his eyes flicker a bright blue and his brow softens, relaxing the rest of the muscles on his face. My Cooper is back. Then, just as quickly, an expression of sheer desperation grips him. Grabbing my arms, he pulls me close. "Help me, Emmaline. I'm not myself. Something's wrong...don't let me slip away." His breath comes in quick pants.

My fears and anger ease. Whatever's going on, a sliver of my Cooper is still there, somewhere deep inside. "I won't." I pat his s.h.i.+rt to make sure his mojo is still slung around his neck. It's there, and hopefully, so is his love for me.

A split second later, the color in Cooper's eyes fades again. His hands drop and his expression hardens. Taking a huge step back, he bounds down the porch steps.

"Where are you going?" I call, but he keeps running down the garden path and out to his car.

Jack rises off the bench under the bottle tree. "What's up?"

Cooper jumps into the driver's seat and starts the engine. "I need to look for Taneea. I'm worried she's driving angry. She could crash or something."

My heart cracks. I rub my throbbing temples and try to make sense of his weird flip-flopping. Cooper is sympathetic and caring, but his support of Taneea is too much, even for him. How could he defend her antics and disrespect of Miss Delia? Maybe I'm wrong and he does care for her more for her that I thought. Taneea is more experienced and exciting than I and obviously attractive to guys. But he swore she wasn't his type-unless she's dabbled in more than just green magic spells and found some way to brainwash him-but that kind of spell requires so much advanced hoodoo knowledge, it's practically impossible for her to have pulled off in such a short amount of time. More likely it's the encroaching Beaumont Curse, eager to steal his soul.

Whatever the reason, I promised to help him fight this and I'm not going to back down now.

Chapter Seventeen.