Fire Baptized (10 page)

Damn.
I picked up the phone’s earpiece, pushed the display monitor. “Hello?”

Zulu’s face appeared on the screen. His blond locks were pulled back. A white towel hung around his neck.

“I’ve been calling you on your cell phone and you haven’t picked up,” he said.

“I don’t have the phone you gave me. I dropped it.”

“I know. Ray was supposed to deliver it to you.” Zulu stopped talking for a second and lifted his head. “Are you naked? It doesn’t look like anything is on your shoulders.”

“What?” I pushed the phone’s camera up so he couldn’t see any more. “No. I have a . . . tube top on.”

“Who is it?” MeShack asked.

I ignored him.

“When you see Ray, tell him to call me. He hasn’t been answering his phone,” Zulu said.

“What’s that smell?” I heard MeShack ask. I shrugged my shoulders, glanced back, and spotted him holding his nose in the air.
What is he doing?
He bent down by the couch and picked up the cushions, smelling each one and then flinging it in the air.

“Is something wrong?” Zulu asked.

I turned to the screen. “No.”

“You sure you’re okay?”

“Yes.”

Our eyes met. An awkward silence passed. I cleared my throat. “Well, it’s late, so I’ll talk to you later.”

“I wanted to ask you something,” he said.

“Go ahead.”

“I received an invitation from the Bottelli Vampire family, requesting our presence at the Blood Harvest Festival tomorrow night. The letter has our names on it.”

I raised my eyebrows. That was weird. “Sure. I’ll go.”

“You don’t smell that?” MeShack asked.

I looked back and mouthed the word
no
.

MeShack sniffed, passed the kitchen, and opened the front door. A snarl exploded from his mouth that shook the walls.

I dropped the phone.

“What’s wrong?” Fire sprouted from my arms. “MeShack? What is it?”

“No, La La.” He put his hand up as if to stop me. “You shouldn’t see this.”

I walked toward him.

Flies whizzed by my head. Blood pooled at my doorstep. At the center of it, was Ray’s small, decapitated head. I held my breath. Flies flew in and out of Ray’s mouth. White paint covered his face. The teeth with the diamonds in them sat on a sheet of paper that said,
“Give these to his daughter.”

It had been over fifteen hours since I’d seen Ray’s head, and it still flashed in my mind. I flinched and rubbed my nose. The odor of blood and rotting flesh remained no matter how many candles I lit. MeShack said he couldn’t smell it anymore, but to me, the apartment reeked of death.

Don’t think about it.

I watched Ben as he sat on my bed, holding shopping bags. MeShack and I had lied to him and said that the hospital’s visiting hours were only on Wednesdays. It gave us a week to break the news to him that his mom was dead.
Another horrifying addition to my to-do list.

All day, we kept Ben busy while Zulu’s Rebels cleaned Ray off the doorstep. We had Ben entering and exiting with us through our fire escape to avoid traumatizing him with the evidence of Ray’s slaughter. It even became a game of who-can-climb-down-and-up-the-fire-escape-the-fastest.

Tightening the belt on my robe, I walked over to my desk and traced the sparkly crimson gown with my fingers. Zulu had delivered it, with some jewelry, and a message stating that he didn’t want me to steal an evening dress for the Blood Harvest Festival and that I’d been through enough this week.

So sweet.

Especially since he’d lost Ray, someone so close to him, and it was my fault. Guilt sat at the bottom of my stomach.

Tonight, I would do whatever Zulu needed. I knew getting the Vamps to support
MFE
was important and probably why he’d accepted the invitation. I checked my watch. Zulu would be picking me up in an hour. I would be ready and willing to do whatever was required.

Ben made a shuffling noise as he shifted on the bed.

I forced a smile and focused back on him. “Did you have fun with MeShack?”

“Yeah.” Ben kicked his feet back in forth as several Pixies hovered over him, monitoring his every move. To them, he was an invader of their territory. I hoped they would adjust to him soon.

“What did you get from the store?” I asked.

“The Four Elements game and some clothes.” He picked at the fuzz on my violet blanket.

“Do you know how to play it?”

He shook his head.

“I’ll show you tomorrow.” I turned to the mirror, grabbed the ruby earrings, and put them in my ears. “I’m a pro at that game. It’s why we don’t have it in the house. MeShack destroyed it the last time I beat him.”

Silence.

“So, what’s going on?” I asked, wondering why he’d started acting weird. Before I took my shower, he’d been jumping around and playing with me.

After a few minutes, he asked in a low voice, “You’re leaving tonight?”

I stopped what I was doing and looked at his reflection in the mirror. Panic covered his face. His eyes were wide open and he remained still as if he was holding his breath, waiting for my answer.

“I have to go somewhere with a friend.”

He twisted some of my blanket between his fingers. “Are you going to MeShack’s concert tonight, too?”

“Yes. I’m going after the festival.”

He avoided my eyes.

What is the big deal? Does he think we’d leave him alone, like his mother?
I exhaled and decided to ruin the surprise. “Gabe is coming to babysit.”

Ben’s head snapped up toward me, and he grinned. “My mommy’s friend, Gabe, from the plant?”

“The plant?” I raised my eyebrows.

“They work together.”

“Oh, yeah.” I nodded. It made sense that Carmen wouldn’t tell her son she worked at a strip club. Most Mixies worked at several plants scattered around Santeria, manufacturing blood and magical products.

“Yes,” I said. “It’s Gabe from the plant. We were going to surprise you, but I’m not good at keeping secrets.”

“No, you’re not.” MeShack stepped into my bedroom and stared at the gown. An emerald green towel was wrapped around his waist. Beads of water clung to his bare chest. “Ben, my special biscuits are ready. I just took them out of the oven. They’re warm and on the table.”

“If you cover them with honey,” I offered, “It’ll be easier to swallow them.”

MeShack’s nostrils flared, but he remained quiet.

“Cool.” Ben jumped off the bed with a new burst of energy. The Pixies flew behind him, no doubt motivated to be his friend after the mention of honey.

MeShack waited until Ben was gone and closed the door. “We should talk about the head from last night.”

I tore the plastic wrapping off the gown and groaned.

“I want you to stay away from Goldie’s,” MeShack demanded. “The killer had to have been in there, watching you and Ray.”

“Please, stop. For the hundredth time, I told you I’m not going back.” I took off my robe, exposing my lilac bra and panties. “You’ve been preaching to me all day. I let you walk me to my classes. I called you every thirty minutes. I don’t want to talk about Ray or the killer. I want a normal night.”

“The killer’s a Shifter. I smelled it on Ray’s head last night.”

I turned in his direction. My mouth dropped open.

A Shifter? No way. Why didn’t the killer just catch me that night when he was murdering Carmen?
It would have taken him ten seconds to kill me and then Carmen.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“When have you known me to be wrong about a scent?”

“Never,” I muttered under my breath.

“I went to Goldie’s when you took Ben to the park,” he said, shocking me again. “The killer’s scent is all over the club. He definitely works there or goes there all the time. His scent was on the bar, near the
DJ
booth, and even in the dressing room.”

“Wait a minute. How’d you get into the dressing room?”

A shade of red appeared on MeShack’s copper cheeks. “A nice stripper took me on a tour.”

I’m sure she did.

“Anyway, that’s not important.” MeShack waved the topic away. “I don’t want you going back to Goldie’s.”

“Fine.”

“I’m done talking about this for tonight.” He got behind me as I looked in the mirror. “And will you be with those weirdoes all night?”

He gestured at my door where two massive Rebels had positioned themselves on the other side. Another Rebel stood on the fire escape outside my window. Zulu had provided them and had been adamant that I not escape from these guards.

“La La, are you going to stay with them?”

I faced MeShack and held up one hand. “I, Lanore Simone Vesta, solemnly swear that I shall remain with the aforementioned Rebels all night.”

MeShack growled. “This isn’t funny. Last night, I couldn’t sleep. All I could think about was that psycho catching you.”

“Don’t think about it.”

“No more reckless behavior.” He targeted my eyes. “You stay safe at this Vamp festival and then you come to my concert so I know you’re okay.”

“Sir, yes sir.” I took hold of the gown, stepped into it, and zipped the side up. The lining of the dress was silk. It fit snugly to my body, hugging each curve. MeShack crossed his arms in front of his chest, studying my movements.

“You’re breathtaking, as usual,” he whispered. The gold flecks in his eyes blazed. He touched my back with his finger, tracing the dress’s outline as it curved in a downward swoop below my waist.

“Thank you.” I searched my dresser for the Brandywine lipstick I only used on special occasions.

“If Zulu doesn’t behave himself, set him on fire, and then call me. I’ll borrow Tito’s car to pick you up.”

“That won’t be necessary. Stop worrying. You sound like my dad.” I found the lipstick and painted my lips.

“Speaking of Graham, we should call him.”

“Absolutely not. I can’t believe you’d consider that. He’d end up getting high, think we’re Human doctors, and kill us.” I gazed at my reflection, assessing my appearance.

Not bad.

“If this maniac leaves another head, I’m calling Graham.” He wrapped his strong arms around me. “I won’t lose you.”

“Everything’s going to be okay.” I smelled the spiced rum cologne he liked to splash on after his showers and closed my eyes. Warmth radiated from his skin. I forced myself to move.

“All right, let me go.” I climbed out of his arms. “No more touching. I have to finish.”

MeShack snorted, squeezed my behind, and then quickly escaped a fireball I threw in his direction. Laughing, he strolled to my bookshelf, glancing at the new pile of books I’d checked out today.

“How to Investigate a Murder?”
He snarled. “You’re fucking kidding me, right?”

“I’m just browsing it.”

“Liar. You have tabs and notes.” He flipped the book’s pages. “You’re back to being a detective again?”

“Last night, I received a head delivery. Pardon me if I would like to catch this guy.”

MeShack’s lips formed into a worried line. “Why did you write
sacrifices
?”

“It’s something I’m considering.”

“Something you’re considering.” He grimaced.

“Both women and Ray were prepared after they were killed. I think the murderer is sacrificing them. Like when your priests murder those innocent chickens.”

“It’s not murder. They’re being offered to the gods.” He glanced at my notes and then flipped the page. “What’s this about colors?”

“All the victims were covered in paint.” I leaned on my dresser to take the pressure off my feet. “Carmen’s body parts were stuffed with cigars. Gabe’s sister wasn’t cut into pieces, but she was found sitting upright with pennies in her hand.”

“Three pennies?”

“How did you guess?” I raised my eyebrows.

“You should have told me this yesterday. All you said was that two women were murdered.”

“I didn’t think it was important at the time. Why?”

He leaned on the wall near the bookcase and continued scanning my notes. “I think you’re right.”

I stared at him completely in shock. “You really think so?”

“It’s pretty obvious. Who else knew the details of each murder?”

“The habbies, Zulu, and me.”

“Those Humans don’t know shit about the Santeria religion.” He went back to the book. “Does Zulu practice Santeria?”

“No. He’s a non-believer, like me.”

“Of course he is.” MeShack sucked his teeth. “Two rejecters and a bunch of Humans; no wonder this guy is still killing Supes.”

MeShack headed to my bed, adjusting the towel as he walked, and then sat down. “The first victim was for the God Eleggua. Red and black are his favorite colors, and the pennies were a payment for the offering. It always has to be three, and it’s best to put the offering in the park.”

“Okay, wait a minute.” I jumped off my dresser. “There are hundreds of these gods and goddesses. Why are you sure it’s Eleggua?”

“It doesn’t matter what god you’re trying to contact. You always have to feed Eleggua first, to make sure the message gets to the right god. Eleggua’s the god of communication.” MeShack combed his fingers through his kinky curls. His eyes shifted into feline.

“And if you don’t feed him first?” I asked, still skeptical.

“Then he’ll torment the offeror.” Claws pushed out of his fingers. He placed the book on my bed and rubbed his face, somehow not scratching himself. “This guy is fucking crazy. He’s sacrificing Supes.”

Knots of nervousness formed in my stomach. I whispered so Ben couldn’t hear me. “Who do you think Carmen was sacrificed for?”

“Ogun.” Wrinkles appeared around MeShack’s crescent moon brand. “Maybe you shouldn’t go out tonight. I don’t like this at all. There’s nothing worse than a killer with a purpose.”

“Calm down. This is still hypothetical. I jumped to conclusions last night, thinking Larry was the guy, and now, an innocent man is dead.”

“These are sacrifices,” MeShack insisted and snatched up the book. “Ogun’s colors are green and black. Carmen was painted in those colors.”

“She was stuffed with cigars, too.” I searched my dresser for a pen, knocking away bottles and jars. “Do they have something to do with him?”

“His favorite gifts are cigars. Plus, you wrote down that a message was left talking about a hammer and forging blood with iron. Ogun’s the god of iron. He embodies war and hunting, things you need iron for.”

I found a pen and grabbed a sheet of paper out of my satchel. “Who do you think Ray was sacrificed for?”

I braced myself, waiting for a response. After a few seconds of silence, I peeked at MeShack. He remained on my bed, glaring at me.

“La La, you’re not a detective. What are you going to do with this? Let me tell the Shifter Council—maybe they’ll do something.”

“Great, the more the better, but
MFE
should have this information too.”

“Fine. Give this to Zulu and then leave this shit alone,” he demanded.