Chapter Thirteen—Lucas

Lucas met Theo and Jaxson at his house. They planned to go do a perimeter check before Lucas went to Sweeny’s.

“Where have you been?” Theo asked.

“Isn’t it obvious? He smells like her.”

“She told me she’d been having nightmares since she moved here, and seeing things that aren’t there.”

Theo shrugged out of his shirt. “Someone is trying to get her attention. It could be her dad or another witch.”

Lucas tugged off his shirt. “I told her I would sneak in tonight while she sleeps. She’s scared, said she saw a woman in the street.”

Lucas noticed Jaxson’s ribs were healed. “So it’s a witch trying to call her,” Jaxson said. “It won’t take long of being ignored before she does something drastic.”

Lucas didn’t want to think about it. “Y’all know any people into voodoo around here?”

“It’s not voodoo,” Theo said.

“What does that mean?” Lucas asked.

“People that practice voodoo can’t do things like that. It’s different. Witches have natural born powers. Not something they worship.”

“So they’d be the people voodoo practicers want to be?” Jaxson asked.

“Kind of, yeah.”

“I suppose none of you know any of those then?" They both shook their heads. "You ever get your phone fixed?” Lucas asked.

Jaxson pulled out a new phone.

Theo huffed.

Jaxson’s parents wouldn’t go a day without being in touch with him. Theo would have to work for his.

“You tried to Google anything on Sweeny’s dad?”

“She hasn’t said anything about him on social media,” Jaxson said. “He’s a ghost in her life at least. Maybe you could find out about him tonight? Or try?”

“I’ll try.”

He walked toward the woods when he heard a snicker. He glanced toward the bayou but saw no one. He glanced at his pack and shifted, running into the trees, following the sound of footsteps into the woods.

He wasn’t a fearful person but something twisted his stomach into knots. The sound jumped to the left of him. He switched gears, hearing both of the boys behind him.

This wasn’t a deer, or animal. It was intelligent and he could sense it.

Its speed didn’t make any sense. What was that fast besides another rougarou or vampire?

He chased it further into the woods almost thirty miles until he stopped at the bayou. Theo and Jaxson stood on either side of him, staring at the moonlit water. Something lingered near but he couldn’t pinpoint it.

Witchery tickled down his spine.

This was something supernatural all right. Something meant to bring them there. He shifted and waited for Theo and Jaxson.

“What was that?” Theo asked.

“I can’t tell by the smell. It almost seems like a mixture,” Jaxson said.

Lucas felt his stomach drop. “It’s not real.”

“What do you mean? We heard and smelled it—”

“It was an illusion to get us here. I was supposed to be with Sweeny tonight. Something—or someone, is trying to get her alone.”

Lucas shifted and raced toward Kutchenmatcher Rd.