Chapter 53 The Future is Sealed

Chapter 51 Sweet Like Candy
EVEET -

Eveet shivered at the comment and breathed in a calming breath. What did it matter that others' lives were in danger?

Her response to Celestine was flat when she gave it. "In these times, whose life isn't in danger?" She eyed the pouch once more, her thoughts in turmoil. She wanted to hear more about what the old hag knew about her mother.

Did he tell you what Margaux was doin'? The woman's words felt like they held more than what Eveet said. Her mother was supposedly trying to kill her, but why?

"What do you know about my mother's death?"

"It's not her death that should matter, but what she be doin' with her life that you need to focus on."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that while she be tryin' to kill ya, she was bein' forced to do so. Da Night Crawlers had stolen her will. Your mother was enthralled."

Eveet wanted a stiff drink. Celestine was repeating what her uncle had already told her. Yet, how can these people believe in such stories? And even her mother had fallen for them. So much so that she heard voices.

Had she gone crazy? Eveet couldn't just accept that Vampires shared her world. Even though everything that had been explained to her about her mom seemed to point to that, she couldn't wrap her mind around a reality that included fantastical races.

Celestine's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Ahhh, it seems ya knew dat already." Eveet's eyes flew up to meet hers. "Good. Because dey still want ya dead. Don't be tinkin' that just because Margaux failed, their desire for ya death didn't go away."

"You told me that already. And just like I told you before, I already know that my life is in danger. It's always in danger."

"Aye. It is. But like I said, your life isn't da only one in danger."

"Who else could be in danger? And why?"

Eveet knew that these people believed in these stories, and as time went on, she couldn't help but begin to think that maybe they had some truth to them.

"For da same reason ya own life is in danger. Da Night Crawlers." She paused and met Eveet's gaze. "Da Vampires. Ya very existence is a threat to them but dis other one. He knows of the Vampires' existence and dey know it. Be wary." She said that last word in a long breath. "For ya would-be assassins from so long ago, hunt to take da life of da father ya yet to know."

Eveet shook her head. "W-what?"

"Ya second father will die. Dey will kill him. If you do not stop dem first."

"What second father?" Eveet wanted to strangle the old woman. She wasn't making any sense and she was just about done with this whole meeting.

"Dat's all I see." She said with a lift of her shoulder in a light shrug.

Frustrated, Eveet stood. "I think I'm done."

Celestine leaned forward and picked up the pouch, thumbing the velvety side with the pad of her fingers. "Dis is for you."

"I already have one." Her tone was sharp and abrupt. She wanted nothing more with any of this for today. Maybe on a different day, under different circumstances.

Trying to prove that she didn't need the new Gris Gris, Eveet pulled out the last one that the witch gave her. She had kept it on her at all times. Whether Eveet believed in the woman's Voodoo or not, Celestine did, and that gave it power. If it could protect her, Eveet would take that protection.

When she saw that Eveet held the other Gris Gris, her face broke into a toothy smile. "Ya wear it!? Dis pleases me. Margaux would be so happy." Her attention went to the red pouch in her hand, and her smile dropped. "Dis one is different. Dat one keeps your mind protected so dat what happen to Margaux, won't happen to you. Dis one..." She cupped it in her hands and closed her eyes.

With a deep inhale, she let her head fall back. She sat like that for a moment before exhaling and bringing her eyes back to Eveet. "Dis one is a bit different. It does the same as dat one, but it also tingles da insides. You'll know when a Vampire is near because ya chest will warm and ya skin will prickle. The taste of sweet candy will coat ya mouth, and the smell of flowers will fill ya nose."

Celestine mumbled something under her breath and then opened the pouch. She breathed in whatever scent the bag gave off and made a pinched face at what she smelled. She mumbled once more and closed the knot at the top before she continued speaking. "Da red will bring da protective spirits to ya side. Da bone connects to ya body to help ya senses. Da Garlic will make ya unpleasant to the creatures, and da Tourmaline will keep ya mind crisp while it feeds da Spirits."

"Even if I don't believe in any of it?"

A small smile lifted at the sides of Celestine's lips. "Ya say dat but I see ya still wear da old one." She lifted the now closed pouch up to Eveet. "An I believe enough for da both of us."

Eveet eyed the pouch for a long minute, trying to decide. When the old woman's arm began shaking from the strain of holding it out, Eveet couldn't help but feel bad for making her do so.

She shouldn't.

She shouldn't care at all what happened to this woman, but she was once a friend of her mother's, and she was only here to try and help Eveet. At least in her mind.

Resigning, Eveet reached out and gently pulled the bag from Celestine's grip.

The moment she did, she felt warmth light up in her chest. It was like someone had poured warm honey on her heart, and it was melting out through her chest. Her skin immediately puckered into goosebumps, like a chill had entered the room even though no breeze was present. Then, just as the woman had said, Eveet smelled sweet flowers like a window had been opened to the garden, and the taste of sugar made her mouth salivate.

Eveet couldn't help but breathe deeply and ride the sensations. "What is this?" She finally got out.

"I told ya, my dear. Ya will know, when one of dem is near."

And then, Eveet blinked, and the old woman was gone.

She spun her gaze around the room, but it was empty aside from Eveet. She stood in the middle of it with her hand still stretched out and her fingers wrapped around the pouch.

"What the fuck?" Was all she could say.