Page 21 of Obsession

“I’ll walk you out,” Gabe tells her.

“And here I thought it was just demons who love dealing in favors,” I quip when it’s just me and Damion.

“I’m glad to see Cupid’s picked up a few of my tricks,” Damion says as he pulls an unusual burgundy rose with yellow stripes from his sleeve and hands it to me with a wink, then disappears.

After a quick Internet search, I discover my hybrid tea rose is named abracadabra. Dang, he’s a smooth magician. Placing it in a small vase with some love-infused water, I carry my magical rose to the front of the shop and unlock the door.

I’m working solo this afternoon, as Grandma is busy working it. I made the mistake of going with her one time to hip-hop dance class…the image of Vivian twerking will forever be seared into my memory and not in a good way.

The door chimes, and a woman in her early fifties enters the shop. “Welcome to Memphis Magic. Is there anything I can help you with?”

“You must be Aubry. My gracious, you look just like Cora,” she says with a kind smile.

“How did you know my mama?” I give this newcomer a closer look. I’ve never seen this woman before. She’s short, I’d put her at five feet, three inches or so, with her long brown hair in a braid. She’s wearing a gauzy skirt, white blouse, and ascribes to the Aunt Callie philosophy of the more crystals, the better.

“I’m Lucy Parks. Your mother and I were in a coven together, many moons ago.” She grabs a pen and notepad from her purse and writes something down. “I’m sorry I don’t have more time today, but why don’t you come to my coven’s Litha gathering next week and we can talk more then? I’ve written down the address. We’ll have a big bonfire celebration; it’s always a wonderful time.” Bonfire? All the hairs are standing up on the back of my neck, thinking back to my vision from the other night. “I hope to see you there.”

Chapter 10

Charlotte and I arrive early at Sonia’s house to set up for the housewarming party. The she-demon greets us wearing a conservative yet sexy pencil skirt and fitted cream-colored blouse that ties around the neck.

“Sonia, this is my friend Charlotte,” I say.

“Nice to meet you. Your home is beautiful,” Charlotte adds.

“Thank you. I lucked out finding this one so quickly.” And I lucked out Sonia found a house so quickly and is no longer next-door neighbors with a certain Cambion.

Sonia give us a quick tour, pointing out original features of her beautiful 1920s home. We pass a study with large bookshelves and various religious artifacts, through a formal-looking living room that appears too formal for someone to actually do any living in it, and to the small but well-appointed kitchen. Charlotte and I set our bags down on the marble counter. “Can you grab me a bowl of ice?” I ask Sonia. She complies, and I begin mixing a batch of Fallen Angels, the featured cocktail. “I invited Detective Chris Sullivan,” I say casually to gauge her reaction.

Sonia huffs. “I can’t believe that holier than thou angel would associate with the likes of us.” From what I gather, succubi don’t handle rejection well. And since Sonia was never able to get her hands on Maddie’s file, she was likewise never able to get her hands on Chris. I shake the thought out of my head. That sounded waaaaay too much like Vivian.

“I’m not sure he’s coming.” When I called and asked him, he said he’d think about it. And his tone made it clear he was doing me a huge favor by even considering it. Honestly, I invited him just to see what he would say. He warned me before not to try him, so of course I had to try him.

The doorbell rings and Sonia greets my boyfriend, who looks sexy as always in a designer suit and tie. “Damion,” she says in a seductive tone and gives him a lingering kiss on both cheeks. I take a meditative deep breath and let it out slowly, understanding why succubi don’t have any female friends.

Damion extracts himself from her arms. “Sonia. Charlotte.” He walks over to me and gives me a quick peck. You look beautiful, he whispers in my mind. The demon knows who butters his biscuit, as Grandma likes to say.

The doorbell rings, and I escort the rest of the circle inside. “Here you are, dear. I considered making my famous southern caramel cake, but thought a devil’s food cake would go better with your theme,” Amelia announces. I hold my breath, afraid it’s like Beetlejuice where if you just say “southern caramel cake” three times, Amelia and Florence will resume their cake feud.

“Aubry, darling. This is such a sly move. I didn’t think you had it in you!” Florence beams at me with pride.

“I’m sorry?”

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” Amelia adds with delight.

“Well played,” Julia agrees.

“We’re not enemies.”

“Of course you’re not,” Grandma says with a dramatic wink.

Speak of the she-devil, Sonia joins us and I make the rounds of introductions.

“Sonia, nice to finally meet you. Boy, I bet you have some sexy stories you could tell. Julia here is into bondage. Maybe you two could swap notes. Although I’m not sure if a succubus restrains her man, you’ll have to fill me in on the details.” Leave it to Grandma to break the ice. Although Julia does look rather keen to hear Sonia’s answer.

“Vivian, don’t be so tacky. Sonia, nice to meet you, dear,” Amelia says.

“Speaking of sexy stories, guess who made a new gentleman friend on our Caribbean cruise?” Florence dramatically stage-whispers.

---