Page 41 of Sweaty Nights & Gator Bites

The afternoon air was hot as we gathered outside near the gazebo. The small stone artifact was nestled in Noah’s hand. It was innocuous enough, but we all knew the danger it posed. Kota stood nearby, ready with the potion that would help us destroy the Trojan Horse artifact.

"Ready?" Kota asked, her eyes meeting each of ours in turn.

"Ready," we all replied in unison.

Noah placed the stone on the ground and backed away. We formed a circle around it with the gazebo standing behind us. Kota carefully poured the potion onto the stone. The liquid hissed and bubbled upon contact. As the mixture soaked in, we began the incantation in steady clear voices.

“Ancient powers, hear our plea, Destroy this darkness, set it free. With potion's might and spell's command, Break this curse, by our hand.” Power built as we recited it a second time. The stone began to glow and a faint blue light emanated from its core. The air around us crackled with energy as the magic built. It was coiling like a spring ready to snap.

The third time we said the chant, the light from the stone grew blindingly bright. A loud crack echoed and was followed by an intense burst of energy. The force of the explosion sent us all staggering backward as a shockwave rippled through the air. I landed hard on the ground. The impact knocked the breath from my lungs. Lucas picked me up and cradled me against his side.

When the dust settled, we looked over to see a gaping hole where part of the gazebo had been. Splintered wood littered the ground. The remnants of the explosion were still smoldering.

"Well," I said, coughing as I held onto my mate, "looks like we’ve got to add wood working to our to-do list."

Dani’s hair was singed at the ends. She picked up and studied a lock. "The cost of thwarting evil, I guess."

Dea stood nearby, brushing dirt from her clothes. "It's a small price to pay to get rid of that artifact."

Kota snorted and shook her head. "We'll need to repair this quickly. The reunion is only a few days away."

“You six don’t have to do anything,” Lucas interrupted. “Noah and I will tackle that task.”

Adèle was watching us from a few feet away. "You did well," she said. "The artifact is destroyed, and its power is gone. Focus on stopping Garrick and those families." Easy peasy, right?

CHAPTER 14

DEANDRA

The air was unusually still as I stood on Willowberry’s porch, making a shiver run down my spine. The spiritual energies here were always strong. Tonight, something felt off. A chill that had nothing to do with the temperature seeped into my bones. It was ominous and nauseating. And I was the only one who would be able to determine what was causing it.

I closed my eyes and reached out with my special abilities. I felt for the threads of energy that wove through the area. The familiar hum of nature’s magic was disrupted. There was a discordant note that set my teeth on edge. It was subtle but unmistakable. Something was wrong. But it wasn’t nearby. Something was sending out SOS signals. My gut propelled me back inside.

“Yo, sestras!” I called out as I walked into the ladies’ parlor. “We need to go back to the bayou. Now.”

My sisters looked up from their various tasks withconcern immediately flashing in their eyes. “What's going on, Dea?” Dani asked with a furrowed brow.

“There’s a disturbance out there,” I explained, trying to put into words the gnawing unease that gripped me. “Something terrible has happened. We need to check it out.”

“I hope it’s not another body,” Lia lamented. She was already moving to grab her gear. “If you say it's serious, we believe you.” I wasn’t surprised by their willingness. We knew better than to ignore gut feelings at this point.

Within no time, we were packed into Lia’s car and ready. The drive to the bayou was tense, the usual chatter and laughter replaced by a heavy silence. We parked near the edge of the swamp where we had each time we visited. The dense undergrowth and towering cypress trees cast long shadows in the moonlight. The familiar sounds of nocturnal creatures were muted, as if the swamp itself was holding its breath.

“Stay close and keep your eyes peeled,” I instructed as I led the way. The path was treacherous as always. It was a relief to see the roots and vines threatening to trip us with every step. It meant the bayou was still fighting back. The day they died and sank beneath the surface would be the day we’d lost to Garrick and his machinations.

We moved through the swamp using our flashlights to cut through the darkness. The further we went, the stronger the sense of dread became. It was a large lump in the center of my chest that made it hard to breathe. The spiritual energy thickened around us. I prayed we hadn’t lost the old temple we’d protected the last time we were out there.

My skin started prickling painfully. We were close. “Over there,” I whispered, pointing to a clearing up ahead. The air shimmered with an unnatural energy.

As we stepped into the clearing, the sight that greeted us was horrifying. Another body lay sprawled on the ground.The woman was lifeless and marked with the same dark magic we had seen before. Something was carved into the center of her chest. I refused to look too closely to determine what it was. Her eyes were wide open and frozen in a final expression of terror. It was heartbreaking.

“Oh my god,” Phi breathed, her hand flying to her mouth. “She was killed just like Melanie.”

“Only she went through so much more,” Lia grimaced and her hand flew to her heart.

I knelt beside the body, feeling a wave of sadness and anger wash over me. “This is Garrick's work,” I said, my voice tight with emotion. “We were too late.”

Dre scanned the perimeter. “We need to find any clues we can. He can't keep getting away with this.”

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