Dank
Gee appeared in front of me stopping me from going any further on my pursuit of voodoo spirits in their main mecca of New Orleans. I knew they had a portal here somewhere that led to Vilokan, the voodoo spirit afterworld. Only three places in the world had a portal. Over time New Orleans had become the most popular portal for the spirits. The humans here welcomed and celebrated them. Even the Catholics began accepting them and integrating them into their religion here.
“We have a problem,” Gee’s words weren’t laced with sarcasm or humor. She was serious. Which meant whatever the problem was, it involved Pagan.
Bracing myself I asked, “What?”
“I went to check on her like you said. There were cop cars at her home. Her mother is very close to an emotional breakdown, if she hasn’t already suffered one, and there are rescue boats, helicopters, and ambulances swarming the East Gulf Bridge. Pagan’s car was found a mile or so down the river. There are skid marks on the bridge and a car sized opening on the railing where her car crashed through.”
“She’s not drowned,” I stated, knowing Pagan’s body was not dead. I’d not been summoned.
“Of course she isn’t. But they all think she has. She brought Miranda home last night and Miranda was drunk. Leif helped get her to the house according to Miranda’s mother. They’re now guessing that she was probably intoxicated too and of course Leif is also missing, again, and they think both of them were in the car when it drove off the bridge.”
“Vilokan,” I growled. Leif had taken her to Vilokan. It was known to be an island under the water. But only voodoo spirits could enter through the bottom of the sea. The portals were the only way for anyone else to get in.
“That’s what I thought too but he couldn’t take her if she refused to go.”
He’d told her. Leif had told her about Wyatt and of course she went. She’d do anything to save those she loved. I’d seen her give herself up for me without question. My beautiful soul was once again sacrificing herself. Damn Ghede. He’d pay for this. He’d pay for it with the extinction of Voodoo. His world would be sealed off from this world. I’d make him wish he’d never come near Pagan.
With a roar of fury, I shoved the lamp post beside me hard enough to send it flying forward toward the center of the busy street. Glass shattered and people ran screaming as car horns blared.
“Brilliant move, Hulk. Go and kill somebody that isn’t meant to die today, why doncha? As if the Creator isn’t pissed enough right now.” Gee grumbled before shoving past me and stalking away angrily.
I hadn’t killed anyone. The most I’d done was caused some damage to a few cars and the lamp post. The chaos I’d created hadn’t been intentional but it would come in handy.
Chapter Nineteen
Pagan
Black chiffon floated above my head as I opened my eyes. This was familiar. I’d done this before. Blinking several times until I could focus, I studied the delicate fabric draped over my head. It was lovely yet creepy. Candles on all different kinds of silver candle holders filled the furniture around the room. Flames filled the room with a soothing glow. I’d been here before. Trying hard to concentrate I sat up and took in my surroundings. Stone walls surrounded me giving the large room an even darker feel. A large crystal chandelier hung in the center of the room. The ceiling was high and made of stone just like the walls. Slowly, my mind began working and I remembered this was Leif’s room. He’d brought me here before. I was in New Orleans. This was good. There was a hidden door somewhere along this wall that would put me out onto Bourbon Street. I’d get out there and call for Dank. He’d come get me; I’d be fine.
I stood up and froze as more memories began to flash in my mind. My car flying down the road. I’d been unable to control it. Leif had been controlling it. He’d turned the wheel and we’d crashed through the railing and then we’d... then we’d...
“You’re up,” Leif’s voice broke my concentration and I spun around to see him entering through a hidden door. It was on the other side of the room. Not the same one I remembered. How many doors were in this room?
“We. You, ran us off a bridge. Over the ocean.”
Leif’s easy smile fell some and he nodded slowly. He looked regretful at least for driving us over into the Gulf of Mexico.
“Yes, I did. I’m sorry but that was the quickest way to get us here without my having to apport you. Last time it really exhausted you but I had to bring you here in your human form. Trying to extract your soul would be impossible considering Death would never do that to you so I had to bring you to Vilokan via the closest route.”
“Vilokan? What’s Vilokan? Aren’t we in New Orleans? And driving me off into the ocean is the closest route to where?”
Leif chuckled and sat down on the edge of the bed. I wanted to be angry with him but something in the back of my head that I was supposed to remember didn’t allow me to blame him. “I’m sorry. Vilokan is my home. It’s the spirit world in the voodoo religion. It’s located under the water. It’s a beautiful island. I can’t wait to show it to you.”
Shaking my head, I walked over to the door that last time had lead straight onto Bourbon street. “I’ve been out that door. I know what’s out there. We aren’t underwater. We’re in a building on Bourbon Street.”
Leif stood up and walked over to the wall and pushed on it, “No door, see.”
“But I’ve been out that door,” I insisted.
“Yes, when I made a door there you went out of it. But unless I make a door there then there isn’t one. You went through a special portal that only voodoo spirits can create. We have three. One in New Orleans, one in Haiti, and one in Togo in Africa. All of those locations have the largest populations of believers. Our spirits are called there and we have the portals to bring humans or souls from those cities into Vilokan.”
“Are you keeping me here?” The realization that this time I might be stuck in this underwater island began to sink in.
Leif frowned at me then understanding seemed to dawn on his face. “You don’t remember. I should have guessed the travel would have messed with your head a little. It’ll all come back to you but I won’t make you sit around and wait for that.”