Yeah. I have to quit the drugs.
Timur lay naked and on the ground in front of her. His face was pale. His eyes were closed. His breathing looked shallow. There was a small pool of blood around his head, but I didn’t know if it came from him or if someone had poured it there.
A chalk circle had been drawn around him with tons of symbols.
Several snakes covered his body. A shiver of revulsion rushed up my spine.
Some of the snakes were black, but most were green. Many were thin as a pencil, while others were as thick as a human thigh. They slithered along his legs. They slipped over his dick. They moved onto his chest, twisting and turning. Some hissed. They were in his hair. They were dipping into his nose. Some were even sliding into his mouth.
If they don’t get me the hell out of here!
The old woman turned and looked at Jean-Pierre. “This Timur is going to be just fine by the morning.”
I hugged myself. My lungs tightened. It was hard to breathe.
“Go on and have some fun tonight. Drink and be merry in his name.” The old woman looked back down at Timur. “Then, come to the house as soon as the sun rises in the sky. Have a nice suit for him and a polished pair of shoes.”
Jean-Pierre raised his eyebrows. “Timur will be healed?”
“He sure will be.”
Skepticism covered Jean-Pierre’s face. “But. . .will I need the straight jacket or dolly?”
“The Timur that walks out of this house won’t let you put a straitjacket on him, but he will be ready to begin living again.”
I shivered. “Okay. Let’s go.”
The old woman turned and smiled at me.
I inched away.
Rafael gestured for us to leave. “We’ll be back soon, Mrs. Delphine.”
I gasped in horror.
That really is her name! I didn’t imagine what happened?
Boris and everyone else turned my way.
Meanwhile, she laughed.
I spotted the stairs behind me and rushed up there. This time they were short, barely ten steps. It was nothing like when I’d come down.
I made it to the open door and hurried out, almost bumping into Gwen.
“Are you okay?” She tried to grab my arm.
“Leave me alone.” I jumped away and fast-walked it down the hallway. “I got to get the hell out of here.”
“What’s wrong?” She hurried after me.
“She said she was my Grand Aunt and there was gold and naked women doing lesbian shit and being sexy and my bloodline was cursed.”
“Do you want some water or—?”
“I want a plane ticket to Italy!” I got to the door and pushed it open. Cold air hit me.
A few of the men on the porch were now eating off of plates. When they spotted me running down the steps and shrieking, they laughed out loud.
Jellybean chuckled. “Look at that boy run!”
Not caring, I sprinted to the car, got in there, and locked all the back doors.
I’m never coming back to New Orleans. Never in my life!
I rocked in my seat.
I will never. . .ever. . .go anywhere with Jean-Pierre again. I don’t care who asks me to go.
I trembled in the seat.
Boris knocked on the glass.
I screamed.
He raised his eyebrows. “Are you okay?”
“Is that really you?”
Boris frowned. “Maxwell, open the door.”
I hugged myself and remained still.
And if Em tells me that I have to go somewhere with the Butcher on a plane. . .I’m going to slap the shit out of her and the Lion.
I didn’t know how long Jean-Pierre and Boris waited outside. The driver must have opened the doors to let Jean-Pierre and Boris in. They climbed inside and stared at me.
Fucking crazy ass shit.
The Butcher spoke first. “What’s wrong?”
I glared at him. “You just going to act like I didn’t materialize into the basement like a genie?”
The Butcher exchanged glances with Boris. “What do you mean?”
The driver started the car and pulled us away.
Boris studied me. “Maxwell—”
“Come on, man.” I stopped hugging myself and held my hands out. “What happened when you went down stairs? Did you see me?”
“Yes.” Jean-Pierre nodded.
Boris chimed in, “We all stood in the basement together and Mrs. Delphine started the ceremony.”
My bottom lip quivered. “But was I there?”
They exchanged looks again.
I yelled, “Was I there or not?!”
Jean-Pierre bobbed his head. “Yes. You were quiet and right next to me the whole time.”
“You’re a goddamn lie.” I closed my eyes and hugged myself again. “Man, take me to the plane and get me out of this fucking city.”
Chapter 17
This Motherfucker
T
he journey to the airport seemed to take longer than it should have.
I was getting anxious the more we drove. My heart rate kept increasing. My palms grew sweaty. Constantly, I shifted in my seat, trying to find a comfortable position.
The Benz seemed to be getting smaller and smaller. I took a few deep breaths and tried to calm down.