How to Date a Werewolf (15 page)

“And you didn’t share this little tidbit with me because? When did this happen?”

“I was too embarrassed to tell anyone at the time. But I don’t care now, I’m over it. It was the last time my dad was in the hospital. I was trying to get there quickly like a good daughter. I should have known he was faking again. When someone expects responsibility from him, bam, a heart attack comes along.”

“Oh. Sorry.” Maybe I shouldn’t have asked.

Jennifer’s father was the reason she and I met. He took off when she was fourteen, leaving Jennifer’s mother to raise a teenager. That was the year we met. We attended different high schools, but met at summer camp when we shared a cabin. Even though my parents were still together, they were out there on a planet of their own sometimes, so I sympathized with her problem.

* * * *

After an uneventful trip home, we pulled into the parking spot next to our apartment. I fumbled with my cumbersome pink bags, and crawled out of the car. With any luck, Jack wouldn’t see me sneaking in with my sexy merchandise.

Slamming the door, I moved around the car. A voice echoed down from a nearby balcony. I wished I didn’t recognize it.

“Hey, Rylie. Did you buy a sexy little number to model for me?”

The mere thought made my skin crawl.

Our creepy neighbor, Phil, who always seemed to lurk around corners watching for any woman in sight, leaned over his balcony and ogled us. He was one strange character, and that was putting it mildly. One minute we would be alone, the next thing we knew, he would be there, leering and waiting with an offensive comment. He picked his teeth with his pocketknife while staring.

“They make toothpicks and dental floss, you know?” Vile creature.

“Don’t acknowledge him,” Jennifer said, slamming her door shut.

I quickened my step and avoided additional eye contact with him. “I thought you
liked
bald guys? There’s your chance.” I twisted my lips into a sly grin.

“Oh God, the thought makes me want to bathe in a tub of bleach. I like bald guys fine, just not that one.” She cringed.

“He even dressed up for you. He only has one stain on his t-shirt.”

“Sick. Not in a million years. I wouldn’t touch him with a ten-foot pole. I don’t want to think about it.”

We turned the corner. He whistled as we moved out of sight.

“All right, but if you change your mind, I’m sure he’ll be waiting for you.”

Jennifer scowled. “All right, I’m changing the subject. You know a few witches. How about putting a love spell on him?”

“Why does Phil need a love spell?”

“No, silly. Jack. Place a spell on him, maybe then this
curse
of yours wouldn’t matter.”

The emphasis on
curse
sounded condescending.

“Yeah, I know a few witches. But a gypsy witch is what caused the curse in the first place. I don’t want to get involved in anything like that, thanks. Let’s change the subject. I have to get ready, you know. I need a lot of primping time. A girl can never primp too much.”

She grabbed my arm and steered me toward the street.

“Where are we going?” We passed the door to the apartment, and without saying another word, Jennifer guided me down the street.

Finally, she said, “Well...I’ve been doing some thinking.”

“Uh-oh. You have wild ideas when given ample time to think things over.”

“We are right next door to a voodoo shop...”

“What does that have to do with anything? Oh God. Tell me you don’t want to have a spell cast on Jack or put a curse on Lily? I won’t do it. I will have no part in it.”

“No, no. Nothing like that.” She waved off the notion. “I was just thinking if there is a curse on you, maybe the voodoo priestess can help. You know, get rid of it. She has to know about curses.” She swung her pink shopping bags merrily as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

I was glad one of us could be worry-free. I’d just been attacked while wearing my underwear, and we’d been chased by a mysterious driver--whose first name was probably Lily--who needed his or her license revoked, and may or may not have had a gun. Again, how she could be happy, I didn’t have a clue.

“No way.” I shook my head to let her know her idea was out of the question. I broke free of her clutch and turned on my heel to make an escape. A couple passed and gave us funny looks.

Before I could move more than a few steps, Jennifer jumped in front of me, blocking me. “At least try it. Walk into the shop. What can that hurt? Think of it like any other part of this fantastic place we call home. Like Cajun food or jazz music. You’re going on a ghost tour, for heaven’s sake. What’s the difference?”

“It gives me the heebie-jeebies, that’s the difference. I’ve got plenty of supernatural things in my life--I don’t need to add another.” I snorted.

“Voodoo is a religion, it’s not supernatural.” She held my arm again. “Rylie, you of all people should know these things. It’s your job.”

“Is that right? Well, please forgive me for not knowing my job. When did you become an expert?” I pulled free from her tight grasp. That was the second time she’d questioned my expertise.

“I’m not an expert. I’ve just heard, that’s all. I can’t believe you spend your days around vampires, psychics, witches, and who knows what else. You’re a friggin’ werewolf, yet you won’t set foot into a voodoo shop? Stop being such a crybaby. Chicken.” She scrunched her eyebrows together, then smirked and I knew what was next.

“You look ridiculous. Don’t even start doing that silly chicken dance. Actually, now that you mention it, you do kind of resemble a chicken.” As the words left my lips, Jennifer stuck her hands under her armpits to form wings.

“All right, all right. I’ll walk in there and that’s it. Please just don’t do that stupid dance. And I’m certainly not performing spells or anything. So you can flush that notion right out of your little head.”

“Thank you. I thought you’d see it my way.” She grabbed my arm yet again and yanked me back down the sidewalk. Her comment, although audacious, made me smile.

Within seconds, I confronted my voodoo phobia and was in front of the slightly rundown building. I think the neglected look was mostly to set a mysterious vibe for tourists, and it worked. I’d always been a part of the dark side of the city, but I’d never messed around with voodoo. To be honest, I didn’t know a thing about it--only what I’d heard on television. Obviously, I believed there were those who possessed spiritual gifts, but there were also those who were crazy nut jobs. I was somewhat (okay, a lot) gullible, and didn’t want to become a victim of one of the frauds.

Old, battered shutters enclosed the entrance and I paused before stepping through the doorway. Jennifer pulled me the rest of the way in. Chipped paint dotted the walls, and the hardwood floor planks creaked under my feet. Voodoo dolls, beads, candles and masks adorned the space. Books and other thingamabobs, their use I had no idea about, were displayed everywhere. The room was filled to the brim. I barely saw a vacant spot on any of the walls.

Out of the corner of my eye, a beautiful woman appeared from the aisle next to us as if out of nowhere. Her wrinkle-free face concealed her age, yet she had the air of confidence and wisdom only age could bring.

“May I help you, ladies?” She eyed both of us.

A trickle of sweat ran down my neck.

“My name is Jennifer and this is Rylie. My friend here has a curse on her.” Jennifer inclined her head in my direction.

So much for just walking in and looking around. She didn’t waste any time. I’d get her back for that. Maybe I’d hide her bunny slippers.

“Please follow me.” She turned and walked toward the back of the store without uttering another word. As if someone came in every day claiming to be cursed.

I didn’t want to follow her anywhere. “Is it only me or is it really hot in here? I can’t breathe very well. It seems so stuffy,” I whispered when Jennifer slid along beside me. I pulled at the neck of my shirt. It suddenly felt so restricting I contemplated ripping it off right there. My stomach churned.

“Come on. Stop complaining and don’t be silly, everything is fine.” Jennifer clucked her tongue, grabbed my arm and led me to the back of the store, trailing the path of the woman before I could protest.

We didn’t even know who the enigmatic female was. For all I knew, she could have been a mad killer luring us to our untimely deaths. We walked down the aisle, and I saw there were even more peculiar objects in the place than I’d thought. A picture of the strange woman we were following hung on the wall. By what was written underneath, I gathered she was a priestess.

We followed her through the bead-hung doorway. Swallowing through the tightness in my throat, I poked Jennifer to go first, in case I wanted to run. After crossing over to the other side (no pun intended), I almost jumped out of my skin when I came face-to-face with a skull. Perhaps the remains of the last customer?

“Tell me, what is the problem? Why do you think there is a curse?” She spoke with a heavy accent. Maybe French? I wasn’t sure. I knew I should have taken French in high school.

“Go on, tell her. Tell her everything.” Jennifer nudged me. If she elbowed me one more time, I was going to make a hat for her out of my pink lingerie bag. I’d like nothing more than to get out of there. I didn’t even know the name of this so-called priestess. Yet I was supposed to tell her my life story.

“It’s nothing, really. Nothing significant. We should just go. I--I know you’re busy,” I stuttered. The spicy smell in the air made me want to sneeze and I felt a little dizzy.

“It is too something. We didn’t come over here to waste her time. Now spill it.”

I was going to let Jennifer have it when we got home. Her bunny slippers would disappear for at least a month, or even better, meet an untimely demise. I jumped when I saw Jennifer’s elbow coming at my side again.

“All right. All right.” I scowled and pointed at her, warning her to stop. The woman’s brow creased, and I knew she grew impatient with us.

“There is this family curse, blah, blah, blah. I can’t keep a date, blah, blah, blah.”

“What is this curse?” She looked concerned as she studied me. “I need more info than ‘blah, blah, blah’.”

Jennifer smirked. Touché.

“Okay. The curse is I will never find true love. And so far that has held true. I never get past the third date.”

“That is true.” Jennifer nodded.

“Who has placed this curse upon you?”

“Well, I don’t know for sure. A gypsy witch, many, many years ago.” In a galaxy far, far away.

“I see.” She paused. “You don’t give me a lot to go on, but perhaps I can assist.” Without saying another word, she reached around and grabbed a couple of items. I had no idea what she was going to do. I wanted to scream and run for my life.

“I can’t believe you got me into this,” I whispered to Jennifer.

She turned and faced us again. “I suggest this amulet and gris-gris bag at the very least. If there really is a curse, these will help.” She handed me a necklace.

If there really was a curse?
Why did everyone question me? My mother stated without a doubt there was a curse and I didn’t have a boyfriend. What more did they want? The evidence didn’t lie, and it was enough proof for me. Maybe Jennifer was right, though. Instead of accepting it, I needed to do something to get rid of it. If doing away with a spell was even possible. Self-doubt had always gotten in the way of that thought in the past, but I could at least take a crack at it. I studied the necklace. It was quite pretty with red, black and opaque beads. A silver pendant with intricate details dangled from the middle. The design was almost like a snowflake. I had no idea of its meaning.

“Can I get rid of the curse?” I asked with some trepidation.

“Yes, it’s possible. If you do as I say. But only if you carry out the tasks as I instruct you.” She cast a steely gaze.

A small lamp in the corner let off a faint glow, but with no windows for natural light, the dimly lit space added to the macabre sensation. “What do I do?” I asked, almost afraid of the answer.

“Here.” She handed me a black velvet pouch. “This will help reverse and send back any harmful spells that may have been cast upon you. It’s handmade and very powerful. Take the instructions too. Follow them carefully and don’t lose them.” Her hand lingered on mine for a second.

Jennifer stood still beside me, taking in the scene.

“Here is the powder and oil that goes with the bag. Please let me know if you have any questions, and I will help as much as I can. Wear the amulet. It won’t work if you don’t use it. It’s not unusual to experience a surge of energy.” She paused a moment. “It is possible this negative force is on you because you’ve placed it there out of fear.”

Her comments weren’t suggestions, but orders. The energy I could use, but I didn’t understand her last statement. I tried to grasp everything she said, but it was hard. I had too many thoughts floating around. I felt overwhelmed as I held my anti-jinx supplies. I didn’t know what the hell to do with any of it. What if I didn’t execute the tasks correctly? If I screwed something up, things could get even more problematic. The thought of things getting worse didn’t appeal to me the least bit.

Our surroundings made every word from her seem more mysterious. I was almost afraid even to breathe in her presence for fear of doing it incorrectly. Thank goodness she didn’t make me use the stuff right there in front of her. I would have been screwed. My hands shook, even though I tried to steady them. I was such a scaredy-cat--a lousy werewolf.

“Thanks.” The moment seemed to hang in the air and I was ready to leave.

“Yeah, thanks.” Jennifer moved past me through the beads.

I hugged the items in my arms and rushed out of the cramped space. The priestess followed me out, too close for my comfort. I felt like a mouse chased by a cat. Heaven help me if I turned around to see her licking her chops. Jennifer stepped onto the sidewalk, leaving me alone in the store. With my still wobbly hands, I paid for my goods and tossed the change into my purse.