Garden of Dreams and Desires - Kristen Painter Page 0,29

colors.

Ava Mae wanted to snap and snarl. Instead she smiled at Lally. “I doubt anyone would wear something this expensive to the circus.” She took her coffee to the table.

Lally snorted as she got up. “If that’s expensive, then you got ripped off, child.”

Augustine shook his head. “I don’t know much about fashion but I think the colors are very nice.”

Ava Mae sat down catty-corner from him. “Thank you.”

“I still think she looks like a Mardi Gras float. And Mardi Gras is over.” Lally brought over a serving platter of pancakes and bacon before joining them at the table.

“That’s enough now.” Augustine held the platter for Ava Mae. She helped herself as he asked, “Where are you headed? You must be going somewhere special to be fixed up like that.”

She reached for the syrup. “Just meeting a new friend for lunch.” Before he could ask anything else, she changed the subject. “What are you doing today?”

He passed the platter to Lally. “I’m helping the police investigate some missing tourists.”

“I read about that,” Lally said. “It was in a real tiny section of the paper, in the back pages. You can always tell when the tourism board wants to keep something on the down low.”

He nodded. “I’m sure they do. They’ve had six tourists go missing in the last three days. It’s practically an epidemic.”

“Probably some folks still sleeping off Mardi Gras.” Her head came up sharply. “Unless you think it’s vampires again.”

“Not a chance. I thought it might be the aftereffects of Mardi Gras also, but Detective Grantham said it’s too many.” He grabbed another piece of bacon. “Hey, that reminds me, you know his grandmother, Jewelia?”

Lally’s face brightened into a smile. “Queen Jewelia? I sure do. Me and her go way back.”

“That’s what she said, too.”

She turned so that her brown eyes pierced straight into Ava Mae. “Now there’s a woman with some power.”

Ava Mae refused to be intimidated. “What’s that supposed to mean? And what kind of a name is Queen Jewelia anyway?”

“Queen Jewelia’s one of the most revered voodoo mambos in this town.”

Augustine sipped his coffee, his gaze filled with a strange curiosity. Ava Mae was dying to know what was going on in his head. She sniffed. “Most revered? Why?”

Lally lifted her chin slightly. “Because she’s a good woman who uses her gifts to do good things.”

Augustine nodded. “Unlike some of the other voodoo practitioners in town.” He held a hand up. “Not that I know much about any of that. We fae tend to keep our distance from anything related to voodoo, just like they keep their distance from us.”

Ava Mae stuck her fork into some eggs. “Why’s that?”

He sat back. “We have our magic, they have theirs. It’s just our way to keep to ourselves.” He stared at her for a long moment. “Maybe because of what happened with the witches all those years ago.”

“You mean when that witch fell in love with a fae man and he broke her heart so she cursed the city? The reason vampires can daywalk if they’re within parish boundaries.” She’d read through everything of Harlow’s she could find, including some journal entries she’d found on the computer in a file called Recipes.

He nodded, his mouth quirking up in a half smile. “Yes, exactly that.”

She crossed her arms. “What? You look surprised that I remembered. It’s not like the vampires were here that long ago.”

“Not surprised. Happy you’re learning. Or maybe retaining is a better word.” He tossed his napkin on his empty plate. “I have to go in a few minutes. Grantham’s got a lead on one of the missing tourists. I’ll see you ladies for dinner, though.” He glanced at Ava Mae. “Enjoy your lunch with your friend.”

She kept her eyes on him. “I will, thank you.” Something was odd with Augustine but she couldn’t tell if that was just because they had slept together and she hadn’t acknowledged it or for some other reason. If only she could remember last night. Add to that the quiet, almost passive attitude Harlow had suddenly adopted and things seemed… off. Harlow being silent would have pleased Ava Mae if not for the seething undertone that poured off Harlow like a dark fog.

Something was going on. She pushed her chair back and stood. “I think I’ll head out early myself, maybe wander around the Quarter a little before my lunch date.”

Lally picked up the plates and took them to the sink. “Sounds good to me. I got gardening to