Serendipity: A Bayou Magic Novel Read online

  “Daily?” Daphne questions. “I don’t need you to do that.”

  “Yes.” I cross my arms over my chest and narrow my eyes at her. “You do. We will.”

  Daphne looks as if she might yell at me, but Brielle speaks again before that can happen.

  “I think we should all stay in the same place,” she says. “We’re stronger together.”

  “We have plenty of space,” Millie offers. “Our house is big, so we won’t be on top of each other.”

  “No,” Daphne says, shaking her head. “Absolutely, not. I’m not going to let him run me out of my home. I have a business. A life. And since all he’s done so far is try to scare me, I’m staying home.”

  “Now is when you decide to let your stubbornness rule?” Brielle demands.

  “I’m not being unreasonable,” Daphne says with a sigh. “He hasn’t done anything that we know of besides these parlor tricks.”

  “I’ll be keeping an eye on you.” My voice is stern, leaving no room for argument or discussion. “From here on out until this is finished.”

  “We all will,” Cash says. “And the second something happens, you call us.”

  “Trust me,” Daphne says. “I’m scared. I’m not going to do anything stupid. I’m not going to put any of you in jeopardy.”

  “Are you planning to drop your shields?” Millie asks me.

  “I thought about it,” I admit. “If it will help me see things more clearly.”

  “No.” Lucien shakes his head. “If he’s able to get into your head with your protections intact, I can’t even imagine what he could do if you weren’t protected. Keep them up.”

  “And what do we do now?” Daphne asks, but Lucien already answered that question.

  He smiles patiently at his sister-in-law. “We wait.”

  Chapter Two

  Daphne

  “Hello, little girl.”

  “I’m not a little girl,” I insist. But he just smiles bigger, showing me those crooked teeth.

  I’m standing in the middle of a sidewalk in a courtyard. I see grass all around me, and he’s standing in front of a fountain, his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes pinned to mine. Yet, he remains unblinking—and he’s creepy as fuck.

  Yep, that’s Daddy.

  I can’t lift my feet. When I’m finally able, I move as if I’m trudging through mud. Slow and clumsily.

  “You can’t run away from me, little girl,” he snarls. “I’m always nearby. Always watching. You’re my little girl.”

  “I’m not a little girl!” I yell in frustration, but he doesn’t even flinch.

  “An ungrateful little girl, that’s what you are.”

  I want to kill him. I want to run over and rip that slimy smile off his disgusting face.

  But I can’t move.

  I sit up in bed and swipe my hand over my face. I’m sweating. My heart is racing.

  I glance over to check the time.

  Three o’clock on the nose.

  The witching hour.

  I hate the middle of the night. Even after we escaped the house in the bayou, the nights still scare me. I usually keep a light on in my apartment, but I scowl when I realize it’s out.

  I slip my feet into my slippers, wrap my robe around me, and pad into the bathroom, flipping on the light. Weird. I know that it was on when I went to bed.

  I use the restroom and then wash my hands, drying them before glancing up.

  I yelp and blink, and then it’s gone.

  “I’m losing my mind,” I mutter and will my heart rate to slow down. “I did not just see my father in the mirror. He’s gone. Long gone.”

  I just wish I could make my subconscious get the memo.

  * * *

  I’m so tired. Because even though I went back to bed, I still had dreams.

  I’ve been sleeping well, but the dreams that plague me are awful. Too real. Full of horrible memories of living in the bayou with my sisters, victims of a possessed mother, and the spirit of our evil father.

  He’s been coming to me in dreams regularly—not just last night. Our daddy. And it’s as terrifying now as it was when I was small and helpless.

  I’m neither of those things any longer, and yet, the man who sired me continues to torment me.

  I haven’t told my sisters yet. They’ll be angry that I didn’t confide in them, but I don’t want to scare them. We’ve had enough fear over the past year—hell, in our entire lifetimes.

  I couldn’t bear to add more fear to their lives.

  I rub my hand over my face and pad into the kitchen, making a beeline for the coffee maker.

  My precious, wonderful coffee maker.

  But before I can turn it on, a knock sounds at my door.

  “I can’t be expected to be nice to people before I’m caffeinated,” I mutter as I pad to the entrance of my apartment and open it to find Jack standing there, looking fresh and well-rested and just sexy. “Do you realize that it’s, like, seven?”

  “Good morning,” he says with that grin that always makes my knees weak. “I brought you coffee.”

  He holds out the cup, and I snatch it away and take a long sip, not caring in the least that it’s so hot it could boil pasta al dente.

  “Need,” I say with a grateful sigh, closing my eyes and then reopening them to stare at him. Goddess, he’s only gotten more handsome with age.

  It’s not fair.

  “Can I come in?” he asks at last.

  “Oh. Okay.” I back away from the door and drop into a chair in the living room, pulling my feet up under me and savoring another long sip.

  “Do you have any other clothes you can wear?”

  I scowl and look down at my robe. “Why?”

  “Because you’re likely naked under there, and I’m a mortal man, Daph.”

  I don’t move to cover the cleavage that shows thanks to the gaping robe lapel. I’m just that spiteful.

  Instead, I raise a brow and take another sip of coffee.

  “That would be a no then,” he says with a deep sigh and shoves his hand through his hair.

  “To what do I owe this visit and this delicious brew?” I ask.

  “Just thought I’d stop by and see how you’re doing.”

  “I’m fine, thanks. You don’t have to hover, you know. Everything is fine.”

  Except my father is terrorizing me in my dreams again. No big deal.

  “I told you that I’d be sticking close, keeping an eye out.”

  “That’s very chivalrous of you.” I suck down the last of the coffee, then stand and walk into the kitchen to brew some more. “Millie and Brielle are coming over tonight for a girls’ night and to work some protection spells. We’ve already recharged the stones at Reflections. He can’t come inside, Jack. I’m safe.”

  “Listen, it’s no skin off your nose if I stick close.”

  “It’s a free country,” I mutter and will the coffee to brew faster.

  “How much coffee do you drink in a day?” he asks.

  “As much as humanly possible.” I turn a steely stare at him. “And I haven’t had enough this morning to throw you out on your ass. Yet.”

  “Good.” He leans back and grins, his arms spread across the back of the couch. It’s that cocky grin that always made me want to kiss the lips right off his face.

  It would be so easy to fall in love with him once more. To soften and just be with him.

  But he hurt me deeper than anyone ever has in my life, and I don’t trust that he won’t do it again.

  “You know, when I met you, you were such a shy thing. Quiet and unsure. Even when things ended, you were quiet.”

  “I’m not loud now,” I reply with a shrug. “But I am more confident.”

  “I like it,” he says, watching me. “I liked you fine before, but you wear confidence well, Daph.”

  “I have to go see my mother today,” I inform him and brush my hair off my neck, changing the subject. “With my sisters. And then we’re comin
g back here for dinner. Girls’ night, as I said.”

  “Good. I’m glad you won’t be alone.” His expression sobers. “Is Ruth really doing well? From everything you told me back when we were together, she was a horrible person.”

  I doctor up a new cup of coffee, forgoing the potion Millie insisted I use, and return to my chair.

  “Yeah, she is doing well. She was possessed by…something…for a long time. Held hostage in that house. We’ve been there a couple of times in the past year, and the paranormal activity has only gotten worse, Jack. It’s full of spirits, shadows, and…evil. The house itself is falling apart. And my father is buried in the rose garden.”

  I shed the vision that fills my head every time I think of that place.

  “What is it?” he asks.

  “What is what?”

  “Your eyes just went unfocused. You saw something. What was it?”

  How can he still read me so well?

  I blow out a breath and then decide: What the hell?

  “When we went to the house to find our grandmother’s grimoire, Mama led me out to the garden. Said she wanted to show me her roses or something. We were alone because Millie and Cash were upstairs, looking for the book, and Brielle stopped to look at something in the house. Anyway, she led me into the backyard. The rose bushes were ridiculous, Jack. As if they were grown with fertilizer on steroids. I reached out and touched a blossom.

  “Now, I’d been so careful throughout the entire house because…well, you know.”

  He nods, his eyes narrowed, and I keep going.

  “Anyway, she was rattling on about how she killed my father. And I touched the bloom. Suddenly, it was as black as a moonless night, and my father’s voice started cackling in my head—an evil, awful laugh. I hadn’t seen him in years, not since Miss Sophia helped us get rid of him with a spell. But he’s buried in that garden, Jack. And his spirit is still very much in that house.”

  “Jesus,” he murmurs and presses his fingertips to his eyes. “I’m so damn sorry, Daph.”

  “I’m fine,” I assure him, even though not much about my childhood was fine. “I’m used to all of this. It’s happened forever.”

  “And that just pisses me right off,” he says, but his voice is soft. “No one deserves to be taunted the way the three of you have been.”

  “Four,” I remind him. “Mama got the worst of it. But she’s doing great now. Unbeknownst to all of us, we found out Mama’s a witch.”

  “What? I thought she punished you guys if you talked about those kinds of things.”

  “Oh, she did. Well, whatever possessed her did. But we discovered that not only was she a witch before, she was also a member of Miss Sophia’s coven.”

  His eyes fly to mine. “Our coven?”

  “That’s right.”

  “And no one did anything? Said anything?”

  “Miss Sophia said that Mama was always a little…difficult. Moody. Probably from being married to my dad.” I shrug. “She didn’t know what was happening at the house.”

  “No one ever said anything to me about your mom,” he mutters in confusion.

  “They’d probably tell you that it wasn’t for them to talk about. Or that it wasn’t time.” I roll my eyes. “This mystical stuff is damn frustrating.”

  He shrugs and then nods. “Yeah, I can see that. Still, it’s all fascinating.”

  “Thanks for the coffee. And for checking in.” I stand and straighten my robe, enjoying a brief moment of female satisfaction when Jackson’s pupils dilate. “But I have to get over to Brielle’s so we can go see Mama.”

  “Yeah, I have places to be, as well. I was going to ask you to dinner, but since you’re spending time with your sisters, I’ll save that.”

  “Jack.” I sigh as I walk him to the door. “We aren’t dating.”

  “Who said anything about dating?” He winks, flashes that knee-weakening smile, and then he’s gone.

  I shut the door and look back into the room. “Why does he have to be so damn charming?”

  * * *

  “Do you think Mama’s ready to get out of the hospital?” Millie asks as we drive to the place Mama’s been living since she was removed from the house in the bayou.

  “She’s stronger than ever,” Brielle reminds our sister. “She’s been able to go out and enjoy things. So many spells protect her at this point, nothing’s going to get at her.”

  “We hope,” I whisper and turn my car into the parking lot of the hospital. “Let’s see how this goes.”

  My sisters and I have held a grudge for years. Like Miss Sophia, we had no idea that our mother was possessed. We just thought she was awful. That she was content to live in that mean old house.

  But we’ve come to realize that our mother is not the mean old woman we thought she was. Since being free of the possession, she’s mourned the years she lost with us, and she’s been kind and helpful.

  The type of mother all three of us needed from the start.

  I find a place to park, and we make our way through security and up to Mama’s floor.

  We find her sitting in a chair by the window, reading a book, with a soft smile on her face. She’s tall, with long, blonde hair like Millie’s, but Mama’s is streaked with gray. Her face is free of makeup, but she’s wearing her mother of pearl pendant. I notice someone painted her fingernails a pretty light pink.

  When she looks up at us, her face transforms with a bright smile.

  “Oh, my girls. How wonderful to see you.”

  We take turns kissing her cheek and then take our seats.

  “How are you feeling, Mama?” Brielle asks.

  “Oh, just fine,” Mama replies and reaches out to pat Brielle’s hand. “I’m doing just fine.”

  “You look great,” I say. “I heard a rumor that they might spring you out of here soon.”

  Mama’s smile fades. “Yes, so they’ve said.”

  “Doesn’t that make you happy?” Brielle asks.

  “I feel conflicted,” Mama admits. “I know I can’t stay here forever. And, honestly, it’s not the most comfortable of places. It’s not awful,” she rushes to assure us. “But it is a hospital.”

  “Exactly,” Millie says, nodding.

  “But, girls, where will I go? I don’t have a home anymore.”

  “We have some thoughts on that,” Brielle says and holds Mama’s hand. “We would like to build you a little cottage near Miss Sophia’s house.”

  Mama’s eyes widen. “I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

  “You’re not asking,” I reply. “Miss Sophia has plenty of property, and she offered a little piece of it to us to build the cottage. You’ll be near her. Near the coven.”

  Mama brushes a tear off her cheek. “I don’t deserve any of this. After the way I behaved, and how you girls were treated—”

  “That wasn’t you,” Millie reminds her. “That wasn’t your fault, and we know it. It’ll take a little time to build the house, but you’re welcome to stay with Miss Sophia until it’s finished.”

  “I don’t want to put her out.”

  “She insisted,” I reply. “It’ll only be for a few months.”

  “I don’t know what to say. Thank you very much. I love you three more than I can ever tell you. I’m just gutted by what I’ve remembered. It’s only bits and pieces, but even that much absolutely horrifies me. I’ll spend the rest of my days making it up to you.”

  “We love you, too,” Brielle says, and I know what she’s thinking.

  None of us ever thought we’d be here, telling our mother that we love her.

  * * *

  “I already have some furnishings picked out for Mama’s new place,” I inform the girls as we carry pizza into my apartment. “Things set aside for her.”

  “Good, because we’ll leave the bulk of the décor up to you,” Brielle says. “You have such an eye for it.”

  I grin and think of the gorgeous yellow velvet sofa I chose for her. With the right pill
ows and accent pieces, it’ll be perfect.

  “First thing’s first,” Millie says as she bites into a slice of the pepperoni pizza. “I have a few protection spells to cast, and I brought you some fresh crystals for all four corners.”

  I eat my dinner and grin as Millie flits around, casting spells and setting crystals. She even steps outside for a minute. When she reopens my door, I see blood on it.

  “Uh, Mill, you don’t need to bleed for me.”

  “Just a little.” She winks, takes another bite of pizza, and then wanders back to my bedroom.

  “Do you ever have the urge to join the coven?” I ask Brielle.

  “No,” she says, shaking her head. “I don’t mean that to sound harsh. I know that I have magic in me. And I don’t hate it. I’m also grateful that all of the witches have pitched in to help without batting an eye and helped us defeat Ho—him—twice. They’re great people, and I consider them friends.

  “But I just don’t have any interest in the magical side of things, you know? I’m not afraid of it. It’s just not my thing.”

  “I understand.” I chew my pizza thoughtfully. “I’ve thought about going back to it.”

  A few years after Millie joined her coven, I dabbled a bit in magic. It’s how I met Jackson. I enjoyed it. I’m not a particularly powerful witch, but I like the community aspect of it.

  “You should,” Brielle says.

  “Should what?” Millie asks, and I relay our conversation. “You’re always welcome. You know that. Both of you. You are witches. Whether you join a coven or not is completely up to you.”

  “I know,” Brielle says with a smile. “And I appreciate it.”

  “I’ll keep thinking about it,” I add. “Now, are you all done casting my protective bubble?”

  “Yeah. It’s a strong spell and should keep you perfectly safe while you’re here or at your shop. He can’t get through it. Can’t terrorize you here.”

  Can you do the same about our father?

  But I don’t voice it aloud.

  Brielle’s eyes narrow as she glances at my window.