Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (8 page)

Isabella, with the encouragement of her Uncle George had joined the PAK organization and went off to see the world. She returned a grown woman who possessed a good heart, yet she found no man to love. Her life, such as it was, belonged to the organization which rid the world of things that went bump in the night.

“How’s Marcelite?” Isabella asked Grace. Marcelite was Grace’s daughter.

“She’s fine,” Grace answered. “She’s home with Raymond, charming him with her brilliant repertoire.”

Isabella smiled. Her young cousin was such a gem.

“She’s been asking about you. She wants to know why you haven’t visited in a long time.”

“I’ll try to stop by and see her this week,” Isabella half-promised. It all depended on whether there would be a rest of the week. She hated not being around her family but sometimes one had to put the good of the many before the good of the few.

A drumbeat signaled the onset of dinner. Isabella and Grace stopped talking and prepared for the feast. This was the way their church services always began. Large silver trays, piled high with fresh fruit and vegetables, serving crocks of homemade seafood Gumbo, freshly baked bread and bowls of leafy green salad were passed down the long tables until everyone was served.

Isabella inhaled and her nose picked up the aroma of filé and seafood as she reached for her soup spoon. She dipped it into the bowl of Gumbo and rice and brought it to her lips. Her entire system sighed. “Now this is good eating.” Isabella grabbed a piece of French bread and dipped it into her bowl and took a bite.

“I thought you were dieting,” Matilda said to her.

“I am,” Isabella replied. “But you know how I love Gumbo.”

“Going to go straight to your hips,” Grace warned. She picked daintily at her salad.

“I’ll work it off at the gym,” Isabella said as she continued to eat.

The tables were cleared after their meal ended and the chairs were moved back toward the walls.

One of the older ladies sprinkled cornmeal on the floor to create a verve unique to the Loa…the spirit they would be worshipping.

Matilda walked over to the altar, said a prayer and then touched the altar’s
Poteau-mitan
, the center. It represented the center of the universe and the access to the spirit world. All of the members began dancing around it. The altar was decorated with pictures of Christian saints, candles and symbolic items to the Loa. Tonight they worshipped Ayza-the Protector.

The worshippers sought solace and answers about the murders that plagued New Orleans and its neighboring cities. They came tonight for consul with their
Mambo
, the voodoo priestess, Matilda.

The low beating drums sounded throughout the building as Matilda made her way to the verve. The beating continued as Matilda grabbed her sacred gourd-shaped rattle. In her other hand she held a flag used to help summon Ayza.

Matilda joined the dancing. Otis played the
mannan
drum using a small wooden hammer. Jason played the second drum. He held it between his knees and beat it with his hands. Jason’s grandson Jake played a smaller drum called a
bula
.

The tempo of the music picked up and Isabella’s hips swayed to the beat. Grace rocked side to side and they both chanted along with the others. Isabella’s heart beat rapidly in her chest as she watched her grandmother dance. Next to her was Gabrielle, her newest
houneses
…a novice student of voodoo.

Gabrielle danced feverishly as if she and the drums were one. It was Isabella’s guess that the spirit of Ayza now possessed the girl.

The drums stopped and all eyes glued to Gabrielle.

Matilda hushed the chanting of all the others and she led Gabrielle to the altar. Gabrielle’s
ti-bon-ange
…her soul had left her body; Ayza had taken control of her. To all who watched she was Ayza-the Protector. The worshippers returned to their chairs.

The drumbeat started up again signaling the sacrifice. Chickens were brought forth and quickly slaughtered. Their blood captured in a jar and passed to Gabrielle. The young woman drank some as in their belief to satisfy the hungry Ayza. Then the slaughtered chickens were taken away to be cooked and later eaten.

Isabella sighed. She had seen it all a thousand times and she never could explain the events to anyone. It was one of those instances when you really had to be there. Isabella felt drained.

The room shook under their feet and people fell to their knees. Matilda walked over to Isabella and gathered her into her arms. “The realm has opened,” the elderly said. “Protect this town.”

Isabella nodded. The only thing left for her to do was go home and go to bed.

Chapter Nine

Lucius looked down toward the door. Alesandro had arrived and greeted the gamblers as only he could—with a wide toothy smile and a very strong handshake. Alesandro descended the carpeted staircase, waving to him. He was dressed to the nines in a black suit, a charcoal grey shirt and diamond accessories. Beneath the jacket he wore a red vest that set off his deep Roman complexion and dark hair.

Women loved Alesandro’s good looks, impeccable manners and charming wit. Well, all women with the exception of Isabella Denning.
Talk about one ice princess.
Lucius leered. He wouldn’t mind melting a few ice cubes to get at the delightful creature who was nicknamed the Vanquisher.

“Good evening, Alesandro. Looks like we’re going to have another full house tonight.” It was a little past dusk and the casino was packed.

Alesandro nodded. “That’s exactly the way it should be.” He leaned against the bar. “Any problems?”

“The police were here earlier but I don’t think this is the place to discuss why they were here.”

Alesandro nodded. “Let’s go up to my office.” He signaled for one of the other managers. “Micky can hold down the fort until I return.” The other manager arrived so Alesandro and Lucius rode the escalator up to the third floor.

Alesandro’s office, as well as his, was located to the rear. Lucius preferred modern furnishing but Alesandro stuck to the older, opulent kind. They entered the office and Alesandro slid into his chair. Lucius sat in one near the desk.

“The police have this hair-brained idea that the casino is somehow involved with the disappearance and murder of a few of the tourists who were here,” Lucius told him.

“Mere coincidences,” Alesandro replied. “We can’t be responsible for every Tom, Dick, or Harry who comes here to gamble.”

“I know that, and you know it, but the police are always looking for a reason to shut us down.”

Alesandro nodded.

The casino had been under the scrutiny of the city since Alesandro opened it. Lucius guessed that a lot of people were still mad at how Alesandro purchased the Super Dome right from under them and had the place leveled to erect a casino. It wasn’t Alesandro’s fault the Dome hadn’t been making money. They should have planned better for its future.

Alesandro made a lot of profit since he’d opened the place, with the adjacent hotel next door, the parking garage and the day care center. All he had to do was give the people what they wanted…a little fun for a couple of hours and they came pouring through the doors to spend their last dime.

“Were they convinced that we had nothing to do with the murders when they left?” Alesandro asked.

“No,” Lucius replied. “So, I do plan to hear from them again.”

“Anything else?”

Lucius guessed he had to tell him about Vinnie’s visit from Isabella. “Isabella Denning and Ernie Malloy came to see Vinnie.”

Alesandro’s eyes lit up and he moved around rather uncomfortably in his seat. “Did you find out why they visited him?”

Lucius nodded. “The same as the police.” He paused. “Isabella told me to tell you hello.”

Alesandro smiled, showing those amazing teeth. “How nice of her.”

“She also asked if I knew of a vampire named Daton.”

Alesandro stopped smiling. “Daton? Why?”

“Because she had a run-in with him. He’s here in town and looking for you.”

Alesandro’s eyes turned a dangerous shade of deep purple. “Did he harm her? Because if he has I’ll pull what is left of his innards out and have them for dinner.”

Two things a smart person never messed with were Alesandro’s money or his woman. Lucius hated being around Alesandro when he got angry. King Adjatay said the vampires could not harm humans while they were based in New Orleans but he said nothing about other preternatural creatures and demons.

“She had a couple of superficial bruises but other than that she seemed fine. You know she heals as rapidly as we do.”

“That’s beside the point,” Alesandro replied. “How did she run into him?”

Lucius shrugged. “All she told me was Daton wanted her to tell him where you were.”

“Did she?”

“No,” Lucius replied. “Both she and Ernie said she didn’t. I can tell from her tone of voice that she preferred you to Daton.”

Alesandro laughed. “The woman has good tastes. So, Daton is in town looking for me. I guess the last ass whipping I gave him wasn’t enough.”

Lucius smiled. “I guess not.”

“Did she say where he was at?”

Lucius shook his head. “No, and I guess she doesn’t know because I’m sure she would have taken care of him.”

Alesandro nodded. “Why didn’t she do it then? A well-trained assassin like Isabella usually doesn’t leave an enemy behind.”

“I’m way ahead of you,” Lucius agreed. “The only thing that could have happened is he caught her off-guard.”

“Isabella is always on guard,” Alesandro said in the woman’s defense.

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s that time of the month.”

Alesandro growled. Any type of blood turned him on. “Do you think she loses some of her abilities once a month? Because if it’s true, I might be able to use that to my advantage.”

Lucius shook his head. “Why do you insist on torturing yourself? You’re never going to get her into your bed.”

“There’s no such word as never,” Alesandro told him. “But I can’t think of it right now. I’ve got a renegade vampire to find.”

Lucius nodded and rose. “I’m going home,” he replied. “I’ll see you before sunrise.”

* * * *

Oliver Randall flipped through folders of dental records while Anthony Norris filled out forms. The two of them worked long into the night, meeting with families who had come from all over the country to identify their dead loved ones. Women cried and fainted while men became violently ill and ran out into the hallway to vomit. Oliver did the best he could to make the remains presentable but it was hard to patch together shredded skin and missing limbs.

Most of the bodies were mangled and mutilated and some of the faces were swollen and unrecognizable. The hardest to look at were the young people, whose soft young flesh had been forcefully ripped from their fragile bodies. Their hearts had been torn from their bodies while they were still alive. It made him sick to think how those youngsters must have suffered.

“Did you get in touch with Isabella Denning?” Anthony asked him once he pushed aside the forms.

“Yes, she stopped by yesterday.” Oliver closed the files.

“Has she agreed to help?”

Oliver nodded. “I told you she would.”

“Her bosses didn’t seem too convincing when the mayor talked with them.”

“A ploy,” Oliver told him. “You know how those Brits are?” He knew Isabella would do it because she loved a challenge. What was more challenging than this?

“Does she have any idea who could be behind this?”

Oliver shook his head. “She didn’t say.”

Anthony stood and stretched. It had been a long night and he bet his old friend was tired too.

“If I hurry, I think I can make it home for a quick shower and a nap, before I return to work.”

“I’ll be right behind you,” Oliver said. “Are you still going tonight?”

Anthony nodded. “There’s talk going on around town—the mayor is interested in meeting Isabella.”

Oliver smiled. “We don’t get much gossip around here. Now you’ve mentioned it, they would make an interesting couple.”

“Interesting is the word,” Anthony chuckled as he walked out of the door.

* * * *

“Wake up Isabella. I need to talk to you.”

Isabella moved on the bed.

“Isabella, it is me. Wake up.”

Isabella opened her eyes. The room was dark except for the moonlight filtering in through the windows. She knew she wasn’t alone. Her keen senses picked it up as soon as she opened her eyes. A thin mist filtered into the room. Isabella sat up on the bed watching the fog materialize. It took human form quickly. It was a female image. “Oh, it’s you, Marie.”

“Yes,
Mon Petite
, it is I, Marie.”

The apparition floated near the foot of the bed. Isabella looked at the clock. It was three in the morning. “Why are you here, Marie?”