Eden's Charms (22 page)

“Who…?” Ethan spread his arms wide.

“You…” Savanah pointed her finger at him, warning.

“Ya…” He egged her on. He placed his thumb and pinky finger to his mouth and ear, making a phone.

“Dare…”

“Gonna call?” he sang.

“Say it.” She cracked up laughing.

“Ghostbusters!” Ethan tossed her over his shoulder and headed for the lobby beboppin’ away. “If you’re all alone, pick up the phone…”

“You are a moron, Ethan.”

Patting her rump, he said, “Yeah, but I’m the moron going into the hotel with Cinderella. I’ll bet ya Prince Charming didn’t make it this far on their first date.”

Once in the lobby, energies bounced off her like moths converging on a bug zapper. This place had an infestation of spirits, pissed off little goblins that left her with goose flesh. Creeped out, didn’t cut it. Nightmares were in her future.

“Room 214, misses.” Ethan tossed the card key into her lap and held his hand out yet again. “Our room has the same date as Saint Valentine’s day.”

“Go, Cupid! Let’s just pray for no bloody massacres. Seriously, can I use your phone?”

“You calling home?”

“Yeah. I don’t want to use my psychic channels in case someone tries to hack me.”

“What’s that mean?”

“Body snatch. Spirits are sneaky little shits. I need to let my parents know we’re okay, because if they don’t hear from me, I can guarantee they’ll be pounding our door down in a few hours.”

Ethan gave Savanah a quick gyration show of his hips. “The only pounding happening tonight is between you and me, baby.”

“Such sweet words, Elvis!”

“Savvy, hold on—I think his spirit’s got me!” Ethan revved up the hip action. People in the lobby pointed, stared and whispered amongst themselves.

“Oh my God!” With the cell pressed close to her ear, Savanah was unsure whether to hit him or kiss him. She leaned against the wall and crossed her ankles and watched Ethan charm the hotel concierge and everyone around him with his handsome looks and unbelievable wit, and by the Goddess, he charmed her with no magic or potions, just him. Yes, he was now in the thralls of doing an Elvis impersonation and laughing his way through it. When no one answered, she snapped the cell shut and waited for Ethan to finish his debut.

****

Walking through the square-shaped courtyard, Ethan took in all the sights, getting a feel for the place, looking for an escape hatch if they needed one. All the room’s entrances were outside. The courtyard had old world southern charm to it. Each window held overflowing flower boxes. Each door had intricately painted hex symbols. A black wrought-iron fence lined a gray slate pathway to a pool filled with majestic turquoise water. Wedgwood blue wrought-iron tables held pink-crackled crystal vases filled with fragrant bluebells. Wisteria trees with their delicate bluish-lavender flowers added both color and a sweet fragrance to the patio. The starry night illuminated the area.

Hearing footsteps fast approaching, Ethan glanced over his shoulder only to see the bell hop with a tray of food and a bottle of champagne. He swept Savanah off her feet. “Come on.”

“That’s ours?” Savanah’s smile inched its way across her face. “Dinner?”

Ethan finagled the card key through the slot and the little green light winked to life. He pressed down on the latch and shoved the door inward using Savanah’s butt. “Your room and dinner, Misses.” Ethan carried her across their threshold, his lips welded to hers.

His hand outstretched like some pathetic slob on the dole, the waiter coughed once and when neither of them came up for air, he set the tray down and excused himself, uttering one word. “Newlyweds!”

Savanah and Ethan burst out laughing. Savanah didn’t relinquish her grip when Ethan tried to toss her onto the king-sized bed. The two went down atop the purple and orange flowered coverlet oblivious to everything but each other.

****

“Family meeting, everyone front and center, pronto!” Jovan screamed from the second floor of the house.

“Cherié, you don’t have to holler. Use your mind messenger. You’ll wake the dead with that tone.”

“I felt like screaming, so let it be, André. And as far as waking the dead? Trust me, they’re up and up to no good.”

“What’s happened to get your knickers in a knot this time?” André approached his pregnant wife with caution, wearing a grin that only a mother could love and since Jovan wasn’t his mother…

“Back up. And for the record? I stopped wearing knickers long before I met you.”

“Fibber. You had those silly little bloomers on the first night we met. I remember seeing the sexy little garment and remember wanting it gone more so.”

Jovan ignored him even though she was impressed he remembered her outfit one hundred fourteen years past. She couldn’t remember what she wore yesterday! “Have you not felt any strange vibrations coming from your daughter in the past fourteen hours? She’s in trouble.”

“Family meeting. Front and center!” André yelled louder than Jovan.

Julian stumbled into the hallway half asleep. “What time is it?”

André shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s midnight,” Jonah answered as he came out his room, Raven tucked under his arm. “What’s got you two crazy this time?”

“Savanah’s in trouble that’s what,” Jovan spouted. “She and the mutt were about to get blown up by someone, and I had to throw a shield around them to keep them safe.”

“Why—ah—couldn’t Savvy do it?” Raven asked through her yawn.

“Her brain patterns are off, and she’s making no sense. I called Ethan’s cell hours ago and told him to get her home. I haven’t heard from them since. The little prick never called me back.”

“Cherié, did you give him the number? You come up unknown on cells.”

Jovan went to say, “Yes, of course I did,” but shut her mouth when she realized she’d hung up on him before that little tidbit of info was given. “Well our daughter should have called us back by now. That only proves something’s wrong.”

“Who tried to blow them up?” Lucian leaned into the hallway, Elyza cradled in his arms whimpering with giant-sized teardrops rolling off her little red flushed cheeks. Her baby-soft curls were matted down to her head and her eyes were wide as she looked around at everyone. “Next time you guys have a shouting match, do it outside. Remember the rule: Let sleeping babes sleep.”

“Come here, my angel.” Raven snagged her from her father’s arms. “Your other very loud, inconsiderate aunt and uncle are sorry they woke you.”

Jovan walked to Elyza and kissed her. “Not to be a nag, but someone’s got to go to New Orleans. Tonight. Now. This very instant.” Jovan scratched her nose and then rubbed her eye to try and alleviate the twitch working its way in.

“How do you know where there are?” Raven asked.

“I’m her mother. I know when she sneezes and has to sit down so she won’t pee her pants afterwards.”

“TMI, Jovan.” Jonah added.

****

Within an hour and a half Lucian, André and Julian sat on a private jet, headed for the Big Easy. Thirty minutes after they were in the air, Savanah phoned home again.

“Mum? Hi. Don’t speak yet and whatever you do, don’t channel me.”

“What’s going on? Are you all right? Did that stupid thing you’re with hurt you? I’ll castrate him.”

“Mum! I’m fine, other than being drugged, doing a lap dance…”

“What?”

Her mother’s shrill voice made Savanah jerk the phone from her ear. “Never mind that part. We had to blow up Ethan’s new corvette. That’s the most painful thing we’ve been through tonight.”

“Your father’s going to kill me. You’re really not hurt?”

“No. Why? We’re fine.”

“Then what took hours to call me back? You should be home by now.”

Savanah smiled. Her mother was her best friend, and she loved her with every ounce of her soul, but the woman had the most viable umbilical cord on the planet still strangling Savanah. Her mother’s voice sounded shaky. Savanah needed to quell her worries before the posse was unleashed. “I tried a bit ago but you never picked up.”

“Savanah, I panicked.”

“No, not you Mom. I don’t see it happening.” Savanah giggled trying to tease her mother. Her mother didn’t laugh, giggle or even breathe. “I swear, Mom we’re fine.”

“You won’t be in a little bit. I sent your father and two uncles looking for you when you didn’t return my call in the thirty seconds I allotted you to return my call after I spoke with Ethan.”

“Oh, Mum.” Savanah shook her head. “Listen, my artifacts at the museum were stolen from me last night. My exhibit has been kiboshed. That’s the reason I took off. I needed a bit of space, so Ethan—oh, Mum, you’d really love him if you gave him a chance.” Savanah heard her mother gasping into the phone. “Mum?”

“I’m here, baby. Keep going. Did you say love?” Jovan’s eye twitched like a frog in a science experiment hooked up to a battery juiced up enough to drive a stock car
.

“Are you sitting down?”

“Should I be?” Jovan sat regardless.

“Draque is here somewhere. He bought us drinks, drugged us and then left his calling card with a note on the back, basically telling me he wants his shit back.”

“Savanah! Mouth.”

“Sorry. Someone put Nitro in the gas tank of Eth’s new car. Ethan found it and blew up the car. The explosion gave me a concussion. Other than throwing up and passing out, I’m fine. If it makes you feel any better Ethan hasn’t let me hit the ground. He’s strong, sincere, funny, and one heck of a kisser. Mum, don’t let anyone channel when they get here. This hotel we’re at is loaded with spirits.” Savanah yawned.

“Where’s your escort? You have separate rooms right?” Jovan crossed her fingers.

Savanah giggled. “He’s in the shower. We just had dinner. So how long have I got ’til I can expect my door being broken down?”

“You’re safe for at least three more hours. Behave and for Goddess sake, don’t sleep with the man tonight.”

“You did with Papa.”

“Yes, my baby, and we have you to show for it. Please, just be careful?”

“I love you, Mum. I’ll see you tomorrow. Sweet dreams.”

“Love you more, Peanut.”

Chapter Eleven

Soggy, gray nimbostratus clouds smothered the horizon and threatened a good ringing out. The sun wouldn’t come out tomorrow and with that thought Lucian would be stuck with the ridiculous
Annie
song all day. His nose pressed against the chilled glass of the leer jet, he fought gravity to keep his eyelids open. Between his two traveling companions acting like Chatty Cathy dolls, and the turbulence he’d gotten no rest.

Julian cursed and paced the entire flight. A box of Dramamine didn’t take the edge off his fear of flying. If anything, the medicine acted more as an antagonist. Just hearing the term
near miss
brought the man to his knees, and André had whispered it to him more than once.
Johnny Damon nearly missed that ball… Jeter nearly missed the throw to first base… Did you see that flock of geese we nearly missed?
That’s when Julian cuffed him upside the head. Julian believed each and every time he boarded a plane—it would be his last. A friend of his, an air traffic controller, constantly told him stories of close calls—the things no one wants to hear before boarding a plane. Once Julian’s feet were firmly planted on soil, he bent over and kissed the ground.

A few steps in front of his brother-in-law, André turned back. “So it is true,” he teased, “you do worship the ground I walk on.” The next few seconds of André’s life became a complete blur. He found himself on the runway, air knocked from his lungs, and crushed into the pavement. After André caught his breath he yelled, “The truth hurts doesn’t it, Grimmy.”

Julian never looked back as he walked to the limo. “Not as much as I could’ve hurt you.”

Lucian picked his brother up from the ground, snickering. “You two are far worse than you and I when we were boys, Ands. All this time and you guys never quit.”

“We’re just fooling around, Luce. It’s harmless.”

“Yeah, and that’s why you’re bleeding.” Lucian pointed to the red stain crawling across André’s white linen shirt.

“’Tis just a flesh wound!”

“All right, King Arthur! Where’s the cell phone? We should call the hotel and give your daughter a head’s up we’re here. You don’t want another episode like yesterday, do you?”

André’s smile vanished. “I didn’t handle that very well.”

“You think?” Lucian asked as he shoved him forward toward the car.

“I think my cell phone is what’s crushed into my chest. Either of you bring one?” Both Lucian and Julian gave the official “no” nod.

Driving down Magazine Street, André asked the chauffer, “Can we hit Decatur Street first? Savanah loves beignets. We can pick up breakfast for her.”

“André, you’re planning on killing her with kindness aren’t you.”

“Something like that, Luce.”

“He’s planning on stuffing the little dough bombs down Ethan’s throat is what he’s planning,” Julian added. “And if he doesn’t I will.”

A mere few feet from her room, a box of
Café Du Monde
coffee, and a bag of piping hot beignets in hand, André’s stomach went queasy. He wasn’t quite certain whether he needed blood or he smelled it, but either way it couldn’t be good, and it sure as hell didn’t smell as appetizing as Savanah’s food. He turned and looked over his shoulder. Lucian’s dents hung over his lips, his silvery-blue eyes had become roiling mercury. André looked at Julian and cringed. He could already see the headlines on the cover of the
National Geographic
.
Shoot First. Don’t Bother With Questions.
An elongated nose and the shift of bones that make more noise than corn morphing into fluffy white kernels is never a good thing.

André whispered. “Are there any surveillance cameras? We’re toast.”

Julian dropped his voice. “Knock on the door or knock it in, but do it now. I hear footsteps.”

André banged on the door three times and waited. “Savanah, it’s Papa. Open up, Peanut.”

“Again,” Julian urged a second later.

“Move, Ands.” About to slam into the door, a member of the housekeeping popped her head out of an adjacent room.