"My store," Tabitha said. "Pandora's Box on Bourbon. I cater to the strippers and drag queens."
"This is... it's a..."
"Adult store, yes, I know. I inherited it from my aunt when she retired. Now close your mouth and stop gulping. I make a lot of money and friends in this place."
Valerius couldn't believe what he was seeing. Tabitha owned a den of iniquity? Why was he even surprised?
"And this is exactly what has caused the Western world to decline," he said as she led him past a glass case of pasties and thongs.
"Oh, yeah, right," Tabitha said. "Like you wouldn't give your right arm to have a woman dressed in my stuff strip for you. Good night, Franny," she called to the woman behind the register. "Make sure you give Marla the receipts and deposit when you close up tonight, okay?"
"You got it, boss. Have a good night."
Tabitha led the way to the street. The city was already placing the barricades at the intersections that would turn Bourbon into an after-hours pedestrian mall. She hung a left onto Bienville Street toward her sister's house; all the while, she scanned for any suspicious activity.
Valerius remained remarkably silent.
As they neared the next intersection, she heard Valerius curse.
Two seconds later a lightning bolt struck him.
Tabitha gasped as Valerius was thrown against a building from the lightning strike. Before she could take a step toward him, it literally started pounding rain on him and no one else. In fact, the only place it was raining was where Valerius lay on the ground.
"What on earth?" she asked.
Valerius took a deep breath as he slowly pushed himself to his feet. His lip was split, and he had a cut on his cheek from where he'd hit the building. Without a word, he wiped the blood off with the back of his hand, then felt the wound on his cheek.
He was soaking wet while the rain continued to fall on him in a pounding staccato beat. "It'll stop in a minute."
And it did.
Valerius wiped the water from his face and then wrung out his ponytail.
Tabitha was aghast. "What just happened?"
"My brother, Zarek," he said wearily as he shook his arms and sent water flying. "He was made a god a couple of years ago and has since turned me into his full-time occupation. It's why I no longer drive anywhere. I grew rather tired of my engine just falling out of my car for no apparent reason whenever I stopped for a light. The only safe mode of transportation I have is my feet and as you have just witnessed, not even it is completely safe." There was no missing the anger in his tone.
"Is my car safe?"
He nodded. "He only comes after me."
She started to approach him.
"Don't," he said, his breath suddenly forming a small cloud as he spoke. "It's freezing here."
Tabitha reached out her hand and felt the arctic air that surrounded Valerius. It was colder than a freezer where he stood. "Why does he do this to you?"
"He hates me."
"Why?" She felt a wave of shame come over him. "What did you do to him?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he breathed into his hands and headed down the street again.
"Valerius," she said, stopping him even though she wasn't sure she didn't get frostbite to her hand for the effort. "Talk to me."
"And say what, Tabitha?" he asked quietly. "I felt sorry for Zarek when we were children and every time I tried to help him, I only ended up hurting him more. He's right to hate me and everyone else in our family. I should have just left him alone and ignored him. It would have been better for all of us if I had."
"It's not wrong to help someone."